There has been a confirmed case of meningococcal septicaemia / meningitis in a student who attends Swansea University. There is no need for concern, the purpose of this letter is to inform you about the action taken and to raise awareness of signs and symptoms of the disease.
All close contacts have been identified and those requiring medication are being treated. Medication is not advised for students attending the University generally. The purpose of medication is not to prevent meningococcal disease in the individual being treated but to prevent spread of the bacteria from close contacts to the wider community.
Meningococcal disease can affect anyone at any time and, therefore, it is important to be aware of the symptoms of the disease which include:
- headache
- fever
- drowsiness
- vomiting
- neck stiffness
- possibly a red rash which does not fade when pressed by a glass tumbler
Should you or someone you know develop any of the symptoms described above, you should seek medical advice immediately.
There is no need to contact your General Practitioner unless you feel unwell or if you are not up to date with your vaccinations. You should have received a dose of meningitis vaccine (MenACWY) when you were around 14 years of age, it is important that you receive this dose of vaccine.
Further information for the public is also available by calling NHS 111 or visiting the following websites: