Meningitis Outbreak

Clive Efford Excerpts

Tuesday 17th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Wes Streeting]

The hon. Member is absolutely right about the atypical nature of this outbreak. I can reassure her and the House that UKHSA is in regular contact with the devolved Administrations.

[Clive Efford (Eltham and Chislehurst) (Lab)]

My heart goes out to the bereaved families affected by this terrible tragedy. Their pain must be unimaginable, and I wish those who are being treated in hospital a swift recovery. I commend UKHSA for its swift response; notwithstanding any lessons that need to be learned, it seems to have reacted very quickly and effectively. How confident can we be that the outbreak is contained within the identified area, and is there a contingency plan for any outbreaks in other areas? As a south-east London MP, I have concerned constituents.

[Wes Streeting]

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for his question, and I am mindful of the concerns of neighbouring communities across his part of London and the wider south-east. I can provide reassurance on two points. The general risk is low because of the nature of the transmission of this disease and because of the active contact tracing that is under way, on which UKHSA has done a particularly impressive job, given the unusual nature of this outbreak. We can be reasonably confident that we are tracing people and managing risk in that way. Even as students return home from university, we are managing the risk, proactively contacting people and making antibiotics available. We are preparing for a targeted vaccination campaign in the coming days, but we are also considering the wider cohorts that UKHSA may deem necessary to vaccinate.