Family pays tribute to 'funny and sociable' teenager as meningitis death confirmed in Reading
Lewis Waters died in the early hours after developing sepsis following initial symptoms
Last updated 15th May 2026
The family of a teenage boy who died after contracting meningitis have paid tribute.
Lewis Waters died in the early hours after developing sepsis following initial symptoms, with ICU teams unable to save him despite their efforts.
His family described Lewis as a funny, sociable, and kind-hearted soul who loved his sisters, friends, and family dearly. The family said: "Words simply can’t describe the heartbreak and upset we’re going through."
Lewis's death coincides with a meningitis outbreak across Reading.
Schools involved in the outbreak are Reading Blue Coat School and Highdown Secondary School and Sixth Form Centre, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
As a precaution, antibiotics have been provided to close contacts by the UKHSA, which confirmed that the strain differs from meningitis B linked to a Kent outbreak in March.
Dr Rachel Mearkle, consultant in health protection, conveyed condolences to Lewis's family and emphasised that meningococcal meningitis spreads only through very close contact, making large outbreaks rare.
The UKHSA has distributed information to parents and students at affected schools to identify meningitis symptoms promptly.
Though primarily affecting babies, young children, teenagers, and young adults, meningococcal disease diagnoses range from 300 to 400 annually in England, necessitating rapid medical attention at any sign of concern, explained Dr Mearkle.
Henley College issued condolences to the student's family, while Reading Blue Coat School headmaster Pete Thomas reassured that the risk to the community remains low following UKHSA guidance.
The vice president of the National Union of Students, Alex Stanley, called attention to the urgency of awareness around meningitis B and advocated for wider access to vaccines under the NHS.
Meningitis B vaccines have been part of NHS childhood vaccination programmes since 2015, but individuals born earlier may not be protected.
The Kent outbreak previously resulted in fatalities, with swift action through vaccinations and antibiotics to curb spread.
Professor Andrew Preston noted that current cases in Reading remain within a defined social contact group, facilitating rapid contact tracing for precautionary measures.