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  "path": "/news/meningitis-outbreak-declared-national-incident-unprecedented-explosion-infections-kent",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-17T19:33:10.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Year 13 student Juliette, 18, has been named as one of the dead",
    "Wes Streeting announced on Tuesday a small targeted vaccine rollout in Kent",
    "urge those who attended Club Chemistry on the weekend of March 5 and 7 to receive their preventive meningitis antibiotics.",
    "'Devastated' owner of Kent nightclub linked to deadly meningitis outbreak was warned by health chiefs on Instagram",
    "Wes Streeting announces 'targeted' vaccine rollout following meningitis outbreak",
    "Abusive boyfriend is dragged from aircraft by police after subjecting girlfriend to a year of misery",
    "Louise Jones-Roberts, the owner of the nightclub, told GB News on Tuesday",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nThe meningitis outbreak that killed two people in Kent has now been declared a national incident.\n\nThe UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS declared the emergency due to its severity.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA case was reported in London on Tuesday, marking the first confirmed outside of Kent, where the outbreak originated.\n\nThe \"unprecedented explosion,\" health chiefs said, is the worst outbreak of meningitis they have seen in the UK.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThere have been 15 confirmed cases so far, with 13 remaining in hospital.\n\nYear 13 student Juliette, 18, has been named as one of the dead. Her family said they are \"beyond devastated,\" and they have \"no words to express their loss\".\n\nA baby in Kent is also critically ill with the disease.\n\nKent Online report that a nine-month-old baby from Folkestone, Kent, is being treated in intensive care at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nShe is confirmed to have the same Meningitis B strain.\n\nThe ramp up in classification by the UKHSA and NHS allows health services to mobilise staff and supply of drugs.\n\nHealth Secretary Wes Streeting announced on Tuesday a small targeted vaccine rollout in Kent, while the UKHSA continued to urge those who attended Club Chemistry on the weekend of March 5 and 7 to receive their preventive meningitis antibiotics.\n\nMr Streeting said the immunisation programme will target students living in University of Kent halls of residence in Canterbury to protect them from contracting meningitis B.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * 'Devastated' owner of Kent nightclub linked to deadly meningitis outbreak was warned by health chiefs on Instagram\n  * Wes Streeting announces 'targeted' vaccine rollout following meningitis outbreak\n  * Abusive boyfriend is dragged from aircraft by police after subjecting girlfriend to a year of misery\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nSo far, at least four cases have been confirmed to be the menB strain. Only those under 10 will have been vaccinated against the strain under the NHS.\n\nThe MP for Ilford North said: \"From 2015 the menB vaccine has been available on the NHS as part of routine childhood immunisations, but clearly most students would not be vaccinated.\n\n\"Given the severity of the situation, I can confirm to the House that we will begin a targeted vaccination programme for students living in halls of residence at the University of Kent in Canterbury, which will begin in the coming days.\"\n\nThe bacteria is currently undergoing whole genome sequencing in a laboratory to see if the spread is caused by a mutant strain of meningitis B and whether current vaccines will be effective.\n\nFour schools in Kent have so far reported cases of meningitis, while it has been revealed that the French health ministry was actually one of the first to notify British health chiefs when a student fell ill in France after attending the University of Kent.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe University of Kent cancelled in-person exams this week, while the student union called off its events.\n\nThe location of the original outbreak has been scaled down to Club Chemistry, and has been attributed to individuals sharing vapes and close contact within the nightclub, though no blame has been put on the venue itself.\n\nLouise Jones-Roberts, the owner of the nightclub, told GB News on Tuesday: \"There is literally nothing we could have done.\n\n\"It's passed person-to-person, they define it as close contact - it's prolonged close contact. It's kissing, it is sharing vapes, it could potentially be sharing drinks, but there has to be that prolonged exposure.\n\n\"It's just really unfortunate. We're a busy venue, a community venue, it's a place where a lot of people congregate.\"\n\nThe venue will remain closed until further notice.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Meningitis outbreak declared ‘national incident’ over 'unprecedented explosion' of infections"
}