Meningitis B: Student dies after flu misdiagnosis

A devastating loss has prompted urgent calls for action regarding Meningitis B. Sophie Ward, a 20-year-old artist from London, died on July 31, 2023, from Meningitis B. Her parents highlighted that she was initially misdiagnosed with the flu at Barnet Hospital's A&E department.

Hours after her initial discharge, Sophie's condition rapidly deteriorated, with a high fever and symptoms that tragically led to her death. Her father, Paul Ward, emphasized that Sophie was not fully protected because she only received vaccines for strains A, C, W, and Y as a teen. The MenB vaccine was introduced for infants on the NHS in 2015.

This means most young people born before 2015 are not protected against Meningitis B unless they received the jab privately. Mr. Ward has appealed to the government to inform the public about this protection gap and consider implementing interim measures to improve vaccine coverage for young people.

Sophie's mother, Alice, recounted the harrowing experience of her daughter's rapid decline and expressed deep sorrow, stating that Sophie's death was preventable. She called for necessary changes in hospital diagnostic protocols to prevent similar tragedies.