Fourth Reading meningitis case confirmed as junior school pupil
Pupil recovering well as health measures implemented
Last updated 19th May 2026
A fourth case of meningitis has been confirmed in Reading.
The UK Health Security Agency has reported that a pupil at Westwood Farm Junior School has contracted the infection.
It's been confirmed the child has links to the other students who were infected in the same area.
Dr Rachel Mearkle, consultant in health protection, said the pupil is recovering well:
"This fourth case has links with the same wider social network as the other cases, where measures, including antibiotic prophylaxis, have already been implemented.
"The individual, who attends Westwood Farm Junior School, is recovering well. Information has been shared with parents and carers at the school to advise of the signs and symptoms to look out for.
"All four cases have been confirmed to be Meningitis B (MenB). The risk to the wider public remains low and this case is not linked to the incidents in Kent or Dorset.”
Previous cases
Henley College sixth former Lewis Waters died after contracting the illness last week.
His family described him 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."
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.
Dr Rachel Mearkle 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.