'Herculean Kent efforts are hailed'

HEALTH Secretary Wes Streeting has praised the “Herculean efforts” to protect people from the Kent meningitis outbreak and to care for those affected.

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The number of cases of meningitis linked to an outbreak in Kent dropped, as the campaign to vaccinate thousands of young people continued into a fourth day.

Confirmed cases have fallen from 23 to 20, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said in an update yesterday morning, after they were downgraded following further testing.

Meanwhile, suspected cases under investigation have also fallen from 11 to nine, meaning the total number of cases was 29, down from 34 on Saturday, while 19 of the 20 confirmed cases are meningitis B and all cases have required hospital admission.

Mr Streeting paid condolences to the families of the two students who died in the outbreak and said his thoughts are with those in hospital “fighting this terrible disease”.