Peterborough GP warns of rising anxiety over Meningitis B outbreak
He said the GP practice "has been inundated with worried people"
A city GP has said his New England practice has been “inundated” by concerned people anxious about the possible spread of Meningitis.
Dr Neil Modha of the Thistlemoor Medical Centre drew attention to an “imminent situation that is building” since the well-publicised meningococcal disease (MenB) outbreak in Kent earlier this week.
Dr Modha shared his views at a committee meeting of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Health and Wellbeing Board held in Huntingdon earlier today (March 20).
“My GP practice has been inundated with worried people about Meningitis B,” he said.
“The staff are worried as well about ‘what do they do’?”
Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can be extremely serious, sometimes even fatal, if not treated swiftly. While it can affect anyone, it tends to be most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.
Dr Modha said some people are taking matters into their own hands:
“I know pharmacies are being contacted all the time by people wanting private Meningitis B vaccines.”
Dr Modha took the opportunity to voice his concerns during a discussion of the Health Protection Report, which provides an update to the Health and Wellbeing Board on health protection performance, key highlights and challenges, such as modest vaccination uptake.
Paul Medd, chief executive of Fenland District Council echoed Dr Modha’s experiences and concerns.
“Our residents and customers are raising concerns about meningitis B,” he said.
Mr Medd quizzed the officers presenting the Health Protection Report about the MenB outbreak which has now seen one directly linked case develop in London:
“How are we assessing that risk?” he asked. “What more do we need to do to be cognizant of that risk… if it spreads and appears within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough?”
“The response to this sort of incident is dealt with by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) so they lead on this response, and we work very closely with them,” replied Lauren Hurley, Cambs County Council’s Public Health Principal.
“We are confident that if we had any local issues then we would be aware and we would feed into the response on that front,” she added.
While Meningitis B vaccination is not recommended at the moment for adolescents, Ms Hurley went on to explain there are proactive measures parents concerned about their teenage children can take:
“One thing we can do in the long-term is to promote uptake of the Meningitis vaccination that teenagers do receive, which is the MenACWY vaccination,” she said.
“It is important that parents and adolescents know that the risk of Meningitis at university can be reduced by having the MenACWY vaccination.”
According to the UK Health Security Agency, these are the Meningitis symptoms to look out:
- a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass
- sudden onset of high fever
- severe and worsening headache
- stiff neck
- vomiting and diarrhoea
- joint and muscle pain
- dislike of bright lights
- very cold hands and feet
- seizures
- confusion or delirium
- extreme sleepiness or difficulty waking
If you or someone you know develops these symptoms, seek medical help urgently by going to your nearest A&E or calling 999. If a friend goes to bed unwell, check on them regularly. Early treatment can be lifesaving.
You can also contact your GP or call NHS 111 if you are concerned, but do not wait - call 999 in an emergency.