Bacterial meningitis can turn deadly quickly—prompt treatment is key

A fast-growing outbreak of meningitis in southern England has killed a teenager and a 21-year-old student at the University of Kent and sickened at least 27 people. Health officials in the United Kingdom report an unprecedented rise in cases and have launched a vaccination campaign while making a precautionary antibiotic treatment available to people who may have come in contact with sick individuals at the university and a nightclub linked to the outbreak.