Two people have died from the contagious bacterial disease meningitis. The outbreak has been traced to a nightclub in Canterbury, Kent, in connection with a student event.
Two young women, one 18 years old and the other 21, have died. 13 people have shown symptoms and are being treated in hospital.
“Basically unusual”
Stephan Stenmark works at the Swedish Public Health Agency and says that infectious meningitis, which is caused by the bacterium meningococcus, also occurs in Sweden.
The most common situation is a single case of meningococcal disease and then no second or third cases. Partly because it is fundamentally unusual, but also because measures are taken early for close contacts.
People deemed at risk in Canterbury have been offered preventive antibiotics, and 700 doses have been given so far. It is unusual for so many to fall ill at the same time, as the disease is spread through droplets - that is, through saliva.
What we can say for sure is that there must be something about this particular strain of meningococcus that makes it more likely to cause severe disease. These young people probably do not belong to any risk group, but there must be something about the variant itself.
30 to 50 cases
According to the Swedish Public Health Agency, between 30 and 50 cases of the disease are reported per year in Sweden. A situation similar to that in the UK could arise, says Stephan Stenmark, but the probability is low.
We already have cases in Sweden, and there could, of course, be situations in the future where we see spread of infection. But our healthcare system can detect it and provide treatment in good time.
Should we be worried that it could happen in Sweden?
No, I don't think so. It's rare to see such dramatic developments as in England, and even though you may need intensive care, intensive care is well developed in Sweden.
