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 learnt.
The patient arrived at the hospital on Wednesday, 11 March, but the hospital did not alert UKHSA until Friday, 13 March, despite a legal requirement to report suspected cases immediately.
Dr Des Holden, acting chief executive of East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, said the hospital had missed an opportunity to alert UKHSA sooner, but added that the trust had been in close contact with UKHSA since Friday, 13 March, to discuss the management of patients presenting with suspected meningitis.
Police and Health Response
Experts have criticised the delay, saying it may have put people at risk, as earlier health warnings to the public would have meant those subsequently developing symptoms could have sought 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, according to figures released by UKHSA.
Investigation Underway
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 said it agreed an opportunity had been missed to report the first case sooner, and that it would have started investigating what was happening at an earlier stage, as well as giving antibiotics to close contacts of the patient to prevent anyone developing invasive meningitis.
Public Health Response
On Sunday morning, internal health service communications went out across Kent and Medway informing services of the outbreak, so NHS 111, local A&Es, and GPs were on alert for cases.
Vaccinations will be given to 15 and 16-year-olds at four Kent schools to 'ensure longer-term protection' against the meningitis strain behind the Kent outbreak.
