Northumbria Uni Student Dies Of Suspected Meningitis

8 October 2014, 05:37 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A student at Northumbria University has died from suspected meningitis.

The student is believed to have died from meningococcal meningitis, which is a rare but life-threatening form of the disease.

Other students are being warned to be aware of the symptoms and to make sure they have been vaccinated against the disease.

It is mostly prevalent in children and babies, although students can be at risk of getting the disease when moving into shared accommodation and living closely with others who could be unknowingly be carrying the meningococcal bacteria.

A spokesperson for Northumbria University said:
“We can confirm that one of our students has sadly passed away in hospital from suspected meningococcal meningitis. We offer our deepest condolences to her family and friends.

Meningococcal bacteria do not spread easily and only people who have had prolonged, close contact with the ill person are at a slightly increased risk of becoming unwell.

Those students and staff identified as being in close contact in recent days have been offered antibiotics as a precautionary measure.”

Levi Pay, Head of Student Support and Wellbeing, said:
“I would like to reassure students and staff that it is very unlikely that there is any risk to anyone other than those already contacted and offered antibiotics.”