Urgent warning as instances of disease rises among students

With students offered antibiotics and cases rising, health authorities are warning of the dangers of meningitis-here's how you can protect yourself and loved ones.

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An outbreak of invasive bacterial meningitis at the University of Kent has left two people dead with a total of 15 cases reported at the time of writing, prompting the UK Health Security Agency to distribute antibiotics to students in the Canterbury area.

Here's what you need to know about the disease and how to protect yourself.

Young people have been urged to get the new vaccine.

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the tissue lining that surrounds your brain and spinal cord (the meninges).

Any type of harmful microbe, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, can invade the meninges and cause an infection. (The current outbreak at the University of Kent is caused by bacteria.) This can be very dangerous since the meninges function as a protective layer around your brain. When it becomes damaged, your brain and spinal cord become at risk too.

What is invasive meningococcal disease, and why is it so dangerous?