Two people have died after a meningitis outbreak in the Canterbury area of the United Kingdom, including a University of Kent student, while several other young people have been hospitalized in serious condition.
According to BBC reports, another 11 people from the Canterbury area are currently hospitalized and are reported to be seriously ill.
Most of them are believed to be between 18 and 21 years old and some are university students.
The two people who died from the "invasive" form of meningitis are thought to have been in the same age group. A spokesman for the University of Kent confirmed that one of the victims was a student at the institution.
More than 30,000 students, staff members and their families are being contacted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to be informed about the situation and receive the necessary instructions.
UKHSA officials have announced that they are organising the distribution of antibiotics to some students in the Canterbury area following the outbreak, while the specific type of bacteria that caused the infection has not yet been identified.