People have been urged to watch out for the key symptoms of a potentially fatal illness that can cause meningitis and septicaemia. Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters People in the UK have been warned to stay alert as a serious illness has been identified in people travelling back to the UK from overseas. Travel Health Pro, an organisation commissioned by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has warned Brits about meningococcal disease as three cases have been picked up here in the UK.
The bacterial infection, which can cause diseases like meningitis and septicaemia, can be fatal in some cases. Because the symptoms can progress 'rapidly', officials from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have warned people to stay vigilant and spot the early signs. As well as the three UK cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), four in France and five in the USA have also been picked up as of May 17, 2024.
Wales Online reports that most of these cases were reported after taking park in the Umrah pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia. The ECDC said: "IMD is an acute severe bacterial infection, with high case fatality, presenting with meningitis and/or sepsis, often with a rapid progression, requiring medical support and prompt treatment with antibiotics. The highest incidence occurs in yo.