A final year Bath Spa student has died from meningitis

A final year business and management student has “passed away suddenly” from meningitis.

The Bath Spa student was taken to hospital over the weekend, but died earlier this week.

Meningitis Research Foundation have confirmed the student suffered from meningococcal meningitis, a bacterial infection that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

Symptoms include drowsiness, vomiting, pale blotchy skin, a rash which doesn’t fade and a fever with cold hands and feet.

The bacteria is not covered by routine teenage vaccinations, but one in five harmlessly carry it.

Public Health England have started to give antibiotics to the student’s close friends.

Vice Chancellor of Bath Spa, Prof Sue Rigby, has sent out a mass email to students saying that she was not aware of any other probable cases but the uni are "supporting [the friends and family] in any way we can at this difficult and tragic time".

The uni has also signed up with Meningitis Now’s Meningitis Aware Recognition Mark (MARM) in order to prevent any further instances happening.

Public Health England and Bath Spa Uni have encourage any students who are worried about their health to contact 111 or go to their local GP as soon as possible.

Image credit: Bath Spa University, Creative Commons License.

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