A junior school student in Reading is recovering after being diagnosed as the fourth confirmed case in a local meningitis outbreak. The individual, who attends Westwood Farm Junior School, is linked to the same broader social network as the previous cases, according to health officials.

The outbreak has so far resulted in one fatality and two additional hospitalizations among young people in the area. Lewis Waters, a pupil at The Henley College in Oxfordshire, died last week from the infection. The other two affected individuals are students at Reading Blue Coat School and Highdown Secondary School and Sixth Form Centre.

Dr. Rachel Mearkle, a consultant in health protection at the UK Health Security Agency, said measures, including the administration of antibiotic prophylaxis, have been implemented within the social circle connected to the cases. She noted that the junior school pupil is recovering well and that information has been disseminated to parents and caregivers to help them recognize symptoms of meningitis.

Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing the importance of early detection and treatment to prevent further spread of the infection.