--- title: Meningitis Outbreak Just Declared at UMass Amherst description: Many meningitis symptoms can be confused with the flu or other less-serious diseases, according to the Mayo Clinic canonical: https://time.com/5041303/umass-amherst-meningitis-outbreak/ author: Jamie Ducharme article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-11-29T18:03:58.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T23:59:59.000Z article:section: Health og:title: UMass Amherst Just Declared a Meningitis Outbreak og:description: Here's what to know og:url: https://time.com/5041303/umass-amherst-meningitis-outbreak/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb66f8489fd41477b/6988e74f86f68e84ac6e75ee/umass-amherst-meningitis.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5028 og:image:height: 2828 og:image:alt: Boston Police Comissioner Report On UMass Preparedness og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: UMass Amherst Just Declared a Meningitis Outbreak twitter:description: Here's what to know twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb66f8489fd41477b/6988e74f86f68e84ac6e75ee/umass-amherst-meningitis.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # A Meningitis Outbreak Was Just Declared at UMass Amherst > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a7d3b508-83b2-49b6-b983-7f7e6a71e535&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | Subscribers | Open rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | 540,000 | 45.6% | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 430,000 | 50.7% | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | 240,000 | 54.1% | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 40,000 | 31.7% | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | 85,000 | 37.0% | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | 40,000 | 34.2% | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | 25,000 | 28.6% | Source: TIME, August 2026. Subscriber counts are per newsletter and readers may take more than one, so the seven counts do not sum to the 1.1 million+ unique newsletter audience. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Highest open rate | 54.1%, Health Matters | TIME, August 2026 | | Largest list | 540,000, The Brief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a7d3b508-83b2-49b6-b983-7f7e6a71e535&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=a7d3b508-83b2-49b6-b983-7f7e6a71e535&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Updated: Dec 12, 2023 11:59 PM UTCPublished: Nov 29, 2017 6:03 PM UTC  UMass Amherst students head across campus. UMass Amherst students head across campus.Boston Globe—Boston Globe via Getty Images  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Updated: Dec 12, 2023 11:59 PM UTCPublished: Nov 29, 2017 6:03 PM UTC The University of Massachusetts Amherst has declared a meningitis outbreak on campus, after two students tested positive for the same strain of meningococcal disease, a type of bacterial infection known as meningitis when it infiltrates the lining of the spinal cord and brain. UMass Amherst, which conducted testing in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the CDC, [announced the outbreak on Wednesday](http://www.umass.edu/meningitis). Here’s what you need to know. ## What is meningitis? Meningitis involves inflammation of the membranes, or meninges, that line the brain and spinal cord, [according to the Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508). It’s typically caused by a viral infection, but in some cases bacteria or fungus can also be to blame. Cases of the disease range in severity, but it can be fatal. ## What are the symptoms of meningitis? Many meningitis symptoms — such as fever, nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite — can be confused with the flu or other less-serious diseases, according to the Mayo Clinic. Differentiating symptoms include a stiff neck, a particularly severe or unusual headache, confusion, difficulty concentrating, seizures, light sensitivity and, sometimes, a skin rash that resembles pinpricks. ## How is meningitis treated? Meningitis treatment depends on how it was contracted, the Mayo Clinic says. Bacterial meningitis will likely be treated with antibiotics, while viral meningitis — which won’t respond to antibiotics — could require antivirals or corticosteroids, which reduce swelling. Some non-life-threatening cases are also treated with bed rest, fluids and over-the-counter medications. ## How does meningitis spread? Most often, [the CDC says](https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/bacterial.html), meningitis spreads through human-to-human contact, either indirectly — by breathing in particles emitted through coughing or sneezing, for example — or through direct contact, such as kissing or sharing beverages. Sometimes, germs can also contaminate food. ## How is UMass Amherst handling the meningitis outbreak? School officials are hosting walk-in clinics for at-risk students, including undergraduates, graduate students living in undergraduate housing and those with certain immune deficiencies, who are encouraged to get the serogroup B vaccination, which helps prevent transmission of the strain detected on campus. Nearly 1,500 students have already gotten the shot, the school said in its announcement. Classes and other university activities will not be interrupted. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5041303/umass-amherst-meningitis-outbreak/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5041303/umass-amherst-meningitis-outbreak/"},"headline":"A Meningitis Outbreak Was Just Declared at UMass Amherst","datePublished":"2017-11-29T18:03:58.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-12T23:59:59.000Z","description":"Many meningitis symptoms can be confused with the flu or other less-serious diseases, according to the Mayo Clinic","url":"https://time.com/5041303/umass-amherst-meningitis-outbreak/","keywords":["Public Health","Disease","Infectious Disease","onetime","healthytime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb66f8489fd41477b/6988e74f86f68e84ac6e75ee/umass-amherst-meningitis.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jamie Ducharme","jobTitle":"Ducharme is a contributor to TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb66f8489fd41477b/6988e74f86f68e84ac6e75ee/umass-amherst-meningitis.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Boston Police Comissioner Report On UMass Preparedness","caption":"Boston Police Comissioner Report On UMass Preparedness","creditText":"Boston Globe—Boston Globe via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/public-health/","name":"Public Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5041303/umass-amherst-meningitis-outbreak/","name":"A Meningitis Outbreak Was Just Declared at UMass Amherst"}}]}] ```