The father of a sixth-form student who died after contracting meningitis has spoken of his family's devastation. Sean Waters said his son Lewis 'fought hard' after being taken to the intensive care unit in Reading, where he sadly passed away.
Lewis, a student at Henley College in Oxfordshire, was one of three teenagers in the Reading area who caught the infection. In a tribute shared online, Sean wrote: 'Words simply can't describe the heartbreak and upset we're going through. Within a few hours of feeling a bit ill he developed sepsis and was taken from us.'
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that the other two affected individuals attend Reading Blue Coat School and Highdown Secondary School and Sixth Form Centre. Tests have shown the infection is not the same strain as meningitis B linked to a fatal outbreak in Kent in March.
Dr Rachel Mearkle, consultant in health protection at UKHSA, said: 'We understand that many people will be affected by this sad news. Meningococcal meningitis requires very close contact to spread and large outbreaks are thankfully rare. The risk to the wider public remains low.'
Henley College principal Simon Spearman said: 'The college can confirm that one of its students sadly passed away earlier this week. Our thoughts are with the family and friends. We are supporting those affected and following UKHSA guidance.'
UKHSA has provided precautionary antibiotic treatment to close contacts and shared information about meningitis symptoms, which can include high temperature, severe headache, stiff neck, and a rash that does not fade under pressure. Dr Mearkle stressed that anyone can get meningitis, with around 300 to 400 cases diagnosed in England each year.
