One dead and others seriously ill due to meningitis fever today. A young person has died and two others are being treated after an outbreak of meningitis in Berkshire.

The news follows a major outbreak in Kent, linked to a Canterbury nightclub, that killed two people and left more than a dozen needing hospital treatment in March. 

On Thursday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed new cases had been found in Reading and that a student had died.

The UKHSA said a student at Henley College has died and other young people are ill following an outbreak of meningitis in Reading.

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord and can be very serious if not treated quickly.

It can affect anyone but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers, and young adults.

Meningitis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection.

Viral meningitis will usually get better on its own and rarely causes any long-term problems.

Bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis. It can lead to blood poisoning or sepsis and can affect the brain.

It’s estimated that up to 1 in every 10 cases of bacterial meningitis is fatal.