UK Reports ‘Unprecedented’ Outbreak of Inflammatory Disease, 2 Dead

Meningococcal disease has been spreading at a university among young adults.
UK Reports ‘Unprecedented’ Outbreak of Inflammatory Disease, 2 Dead
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting in Durham, England, on Feb. 28, 2026. Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Zachary Stieber
Zachary Stieber
Senior Reporter
|Updated:
0:00

Twenty cases of meningococcal disease have been confirmed or are suspected in an outbreak in Kent, England, and two people have died, the UK Health Security Agency said on March 18.

Meningococcal disease, or meningitis and septicaemia, is an uncommon disease caused by bacteria that can, in certain cases, cause severe illness such as swelling of the brain lining or bloodstream infection.

Zachary Stieber
Zachary Stieber
Senior Reporter
Zachary Stieber is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times based in Maryland. He covers U.S. and world news. Contact Zachary at [email protected]
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