The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent, waited two days before reporting a meningitis case to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the BBC has learned.
The patient arrived at the hospital on Wednesday, 11 March, but the UKHSA was not alerted until Friday, 13 March, despite the legal requirement for immediate reporting of suspected cases.
This delay meant a slower response in tracing close contacts of the patient and potentially identifying a wider outbreak.
Police and Authority Response
East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, admitted to missing an opportunity to alert the UKHSA sooner, citing a wait for a formal diagnosis via a confirmed test.
Dr Des Holden, acting chief executive of East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, said the trust had been in close contact with the UKHSA since Friday, 13 March, to discuss the management of patients presenting with suspected meningitis.
Timeline of Events
Experts have criticized the delay, stating it may have put people at risk, as earlier health warnings could have led to those developing symptoms seeking medical help sooner.
Of the 22 suspected and probable cases, all of whom are young adults and teenagers, two people have died and four were in intensive care as of Monday.
Official Statements
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the delay was 'not good enough' and he would be seeking further information from the trust about what happened.
UKHSA agreed an opportunity had been missed to report the first case sooner and would have started investigating and giving antibiotics to close contacts earlier.
