Junior school pupil treated for meningitis as UK’s Reading reports 4th case

Britain’s health security authority on Thursday confirmed the fourth case in Reading, southwest England, as a junior school pupil is being treated for meningitis.

The Westwood Farm Junior School pupil is the fourth young person to contract the infection, with all four linked to the same wider social network, the BBC reported, citing the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

It came after Lewis Waters, who attended The Henley College in Oxfordshire, died from the infection last week.

Two other cases were reported in Reading, at Reading Blue Coat School and Highdown Secondary School and Sixth Form Centre.

The agency said the pupil from Westwood Farm Junior School was "recovering well" and confirmed close contacts linked to all four people had been offered antibiotics as a precaution.

The UKHSA previously said testing showed it was not the same strain of meningitis B as in previous outbreaks this year in Kent and Dorset.

During the previous outbreak in March, a University of Kent student and a Year 13 pupil died in the Kent outbreak, prompting thousands to get the vaccine or antibiotics.

A statement from Henley College said its "thoughts and sincere condolences are with the student's family and friends at this extremely difficult time."