Meningitis could spread outside Kent in 'most likely' scenario, says health official

Students in Kent could "incubate" meningitis and spread it to other parts of the UK, a health official has speculated as his "most likely" scenario.

The number of cases in the county's outbreak rose on Friday from 27 to 29, with 18 defined as confirmed and another 11 probable, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The cases include two students who have died.

Meningitis outbreak latest: Health officials reveal 'worst case scenario' So far, all the meningitis cases have links to Kent after a so-called "superspreading event" at the Club Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury. As health chiefs battle to contain the bacterial outbreak, Kent County Council's director of public health Dr Anjan Ghosh has speculated on three "rough" scenarios over the next four weeks.

At a briefing on Friday, he said one theory is that cases remain contained in Kent. A second scenario, which he described as the "most likely.