Staff, students and parents at schools and colleges in Oxfordshire and Reading have been given advice on symptoms of meningitis B to watch for as one student has died and two others are infected15:23, 15 May 2026Medics have issued advice to staff and students at schools and colleges after another outbreak of meningitis which has left one student dead and infected two more.‌The student who died attended Henley College in Oxfordshire while two infected pupils have been identified in Reading at the Reading Blue Coat School and Highdown Secondary School and Sixth Form Centre, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Close contacts of the cases have been offered antibiotics as a precaution.‌The outbreak comes after a terrifying similar incident in March which saw two students die and dozens rushed to hospital in Kent. One of the cases reported yesterday was confirmed to be meningitis B, but a different strain to the Men B that caused the March outbreak.‌READ MORE: Reading meningitis outbreak update as details emerge of children being treatedREAD MORE: 14 symptoms of meningitis as UK faces another deadly outbreak – full listNow, the UKHSA has shared information with parents and students at impacted schools so they can be aware of the signs of meningitis. Dr Rachel Mearkle, consultant in health protection, stressed that "anyone can get meningitis" with around 300 to 400 cases diagnosed in England each year."It's most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults, she added. "It needs to be treated quickly, so it is important to know the signs and symptoms. They can appear in any order and may not all be present, so seek rapid medical attention if there is ever any concern."‌Meningitis symptoms can include:High feverSevere headacheVomitingStiff neckSensitivity to lightConfusionDrowsinessCold hands and feetSevere muscle painA rash that does not fade under pressure‌Dr Mearkle said: "We understand that many people will be affected by this sad news and would like to offer our condolences to the friends and family of this student. Students and staff will naturally be feeling worried about the likelihood of further cases, however, meningococcal meningitis requires very close contact to spread and large outbreaks, as we saw in Kent recently, are thankfully rare."We are working closely with partners and have provided public health advice and precautionary antibiotic treatment to close contacts of the cases. Meningococcal disease does not spread easily and the risk to the wider public remains low."In a statement, Henley College, the sixth form college the student who died attended, said its "thoughts and sincere condolences are with the student's family and friends at this extremely difficult time." Adding: "We are supporting those affected within our college community and are following the advice and guidance given by the UK Health Security Agency. Out of respect for the family, we nwill not be providing further detail at this time."‌Reading Blue Coat School headmaster Pete Thomas said: "We recognise that this is a concerning time for families and the wider community. We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of a student at another local school, and our thoughts are with their family, as well as with all those affected during this difficult time."The school has been working closely with the UK Health Security Agency throughout. They have advised that the risk to the school community, and to others in the area, remains very low. All appropriate measures have been taken in line with UKHSA guidance, and we continue to follow their advice closely. We have also been in regular communication with students, parents and staff to keep them fully informed and will continue to do so."Article continues belowAlex Stanley, vice president of the National Union of Students, said: "We are sadly once again seeing the fast-paced awfulness of meningitis B. We urge everyone in the surrounding areas to follow the advice of Government health officials and to be acutely aware of the signs of illness. There should never be a cost barrier to lifesaving vaccines, and we need to see the Government offer the meningitis B vaccine to all young people on the NHS."The menB vaccine has been routinely offered to babies as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme since 2015. However, those born before then will not be protected. After the outbreak of menB in Kent earlier this year, which led to two deaths, thousands of people were given the menB vaccine or antibiotics in a bid to curb the spread.Andrew Preston, a professor of microbial pathogenicity at University of Bath, said: “This latest outbreak again has emerged in the college age cohort, like the Kent outbreak. All current cases appear contained to a well-defined social contact group which enables rapid contact tracing and the administration of antibiotics and vaccination if deemed a necessary precaution. At the moment, there is no indication of transmission to the wider community, although understandably this will have caused wide concern in the area.”