The father of a teenager who died after contracting meningitis has paid an emotional tribute to his “fun, sociable and kind-hearted” son, describing how the 17-year-old developed sepsis within hours of first feeling unwell.Louis Waters, a sixth-form student at Henley College, died earlier this week after being transferred to intensive care.In a heartbreaking message shared on social media, his father Sean Waters said the family was struggling to cope with the sudden loss.
“Words cannot describe the heartache.”
“Within a few hours of feeling sick, he developed sepsis and was taken from us,” Sean wrote on Facebook. “He struggled hard and was cared for by the ICU team but they were unable to save him.”
“We are completely devastated”
His father described Lewis as a much-loved teenager with a bright personality, and said he was “funny, sociable, kind-hearted” and extremely loyal to his family and friends.“He also loved his sisters, friends and family very much,” he added. “Life will never be the same for many of us now that he is gone.”
Two other students are being treated
The tragedy comes at a time when two other young men in Berkshire are receiving treatment for meningitis. Students attend Reading Blue Coat School, Haydown High School and the Sixth Form Centre.
The UK’s Health Security Agency said it had identified a social link linking the three cases, and confirmed that antibiotics had been provided to close contacts as a precaution.Officials said one case has been confirmed as meningitis B, while further tests are being conducted on the remaining cases.
Schools issue letters of support
Henley College said in a statement that its “sincere thoughts and condolences are with the student’s family and friends at this extremely difficult time.”Meanwhile, Reading Blue Coat School’s headteacher, Pete Thomas, described it as a “worrying time for families and the wider community”.“We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of a student at another local school,” he said.Highdown School also confirmed it has shared guidance with parents and students about the symptoms of meningitis.
Symptoms that parents should watch for
Doctors are urging families to stay alert, warning that meningitis can become life-threatening very quickly.Common symptoms include:
- High temperature
- Severe headache
- Vomiting
- stiff neck
- Sensitivity to light
- Confusion or drowsiness
- Cold hands and feet
- Muscle pain
- Skin rash that doesn’t fade under pressure using the ‘glass test’
Calls for wider vaccination rollout are growing
The incident has reignited concerns about meningitis B among young people, especially those who were too old to receive the routine MenB vaccine that was introduced to children in 2015.Freddie van Mierlo, the Liberal Democrat MP for Henley and Thame, urged the government to consider a wider vaccination program for teenagers and university-age students.Health officials stressed that the current cases are not linked to a meningitis B outbreak in Kent County earlier this year that resulted in two deaths.