Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 02, 2025 2 days, 11 hours, 11 minutes ago
Medical News: Sharp Surge Among Youths Raises Concern
Health authorities in the United Kingdom have sounded a new alarm following a sudden rise in cases of meningococcal meningitis and septicemia, potentially deadly infections that can strike within hours. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an urgent appeal to parents, students, and healthcare providers to ensure that children and young people are fully vaccinated. This
Medical News report highlights how young people—especially university students—remain the most vulnerable to these fast-spreading bacterial infections.
Rising Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicemia Threat Prompts UK Health Alert
Worrying Increase in Meningitis B and W Cases
According to the latest figures, 378 cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) were reported in 2024–2025. A staggering 82.6% (313 cases) were linked to Meningitis B, while MenW accounted for 11.3%, followed by MenY at 3.4%, and MenC at 0.8%. Experts from the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England warned that IMD cases, which had sharply declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, are now rising again due to falling vaccination rates and increased social interactions among young adults.
Falling Vaccination Rates Cause Alarm
Vaccination coverage for the MenB vaccine among babies dropped to 91.4%, while MenACWY vaccine uptake among Year 9 pupils stood at just 72.1%—still below pre-pandemic levels of 88%. Researchers from the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, and the Department of Health emphasized that this decline could lead to more preventable illnesses and potential fatalities. The MenB vaccine, administered to infants at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and one year of age, and the MenACWY vaccine, offered to teenagers aged 13 to 14, provide essential protection against most deadly strains.
Students Face Higher Risks
Dr Helen Campbell, the UKHSA’s lead scientist, stressed that meningitis spreads rapidly in environments where young people live closely together, such as universities and dormitories. She urged teenagers who missed their school vaccinations to contact their GPs immediately. “MenB remains the biggest cause of invasive meningococcal disease, particularly among children and teens,” she said. “Vaccines are crucial—this disease can be fatal within hours.”
Recognizing the Warning Signs Saves Lives
Health experts warn that early recognition and swift medical action can save lives. Common symptoms include high fever, cold hands and feet, vomiting, confusion, pale or blotchy skin, severe headache, neck stiffness, rash, light sensitivity, and seizures. Parents and students are urged to seek medical help immediately if these symptoms appear.
A Preventable Tragedy if Ignored
Public Health Minister Ashley Dalton and NHS Director Dr Amanda Doyle jointly reminded families that vaccines remain free under the NHS immuni
zation programme. They stressed that while the vaccines protect against most meningococcal strains, awareness remains key. The government’s renewed campaign aims to ensure no young person loses their life to a disease that can be prevented with a simple jab. The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: The Lancet Infectious Diseases and supported by researchers from the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, and the Department of Health and Social Care.
Meningitis is preventable, but only if communities remain vigilant, vaccination coverage is restored, and young people understand how quickly this disease can strike.
References:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/meningococcal-disease-laboratory-confirmed-cases-in-england-2024-to-2025
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccination-crucial-as-meningitis-cases-increase
For the latest on the meningitis situation in UK, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/berberine-as-a-potential-treatment-for-streptococcus-suis-meningitis-in-humans-and-pigs
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-medical-news-is-sars-cov-2-or-covid-19-vaccine-induced-immunodeficiency-behind-the-surge-of-meningitis-infections-in-france
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