Three cheerleaders among meningitis cases in hospital, friend says

Olivia Parkins, 18, who is part of the cheerleading society at the University of Kent, said there have been three confirmed cases within their group – all of whom are in hospital.

The student, who studies classical civilisations, attended the campus on Thursday morning, where she queued for a vaccine.

She said: “I know quite a lot of people who are in hospital with it – a lot of people from the cheerleading society which I’m part of…

“I also live in the block where the outbreak happened. It was one of the two blocks that had to come in to get antibiotics.”

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Ms Parkins said she was at her home in Bromley when she heard about the outbreak.

She added she has been in contact with the cases, adding: “So far they’re OK.”

The student said there has been “good communication” surrounding the outbreak.

Speaking after receiving the vaccine, Paris Summer, 22, a psychology student from Twickenham, said students should have been told about the outbreak sooner after two people died.

“They just don’t really seem very prepared.

“I feel like, surely, they knew before someone actually ended up passing away. I feel like we could have found out a lot sooner.”

Aarohi Gupta, 21, an economics student from High Wycombe, said: “It was very scary, very worrying. Obviously, we didn’t really know what to do.

“And the uni hadn’t really told us much. So, I think that was extra concerning.

“We found out when the rest of the public did”.

Tumi, 20, a computer science student at the University of Kent, said she decided not to return home to stop the infection spreading.

The student, who chose not to give her surname, said: “Because I think if everyone leaves you kind of, if you’re carrying it, you don’t know, then you take it to your hometown.”

“I just don’t think it’s quite safe, so I’ve just decided to stay here,” she said.

The number of cases of meningitis linked to the outbreak in Kent has risen to 27, health officials have said.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that as of 5pm on Wednesday, 15 cases had been confirmed and a further 12 were under investigation.

The 27 cases either confirmed or suspected represent a rise on the 20 reported on Wednesday. Two students have died in the outbreak.

Currently, nine of the 15 confirmed cases are known to be caused by menB.

The latest figures come as a Kent public health leader said it cannot yet be confirmed that the outbreak has been contained.