Meningitis Research Foundation/PA Wire
The family of an 18-year-old girl who died following a meningitis outbreak in Kent have described their “immeasurable loss” and called for better protections for young people.
Juliette Kenny died last week one day after showing symptoms of the disease which included vomiting and discolouration in her cheeks, her father said.
She is one of two confirmed deaths from the infection, the other being a 21-year-old University of Kent student.
With latest figures showing 27 confirmed or suspected cases, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has expanded a meningitis vaccination programme to all who attended the nightclub where the outbreak is believed to have originated.
Previously, only University of Kent students living in halls had been offered the meningitis B (MenB) vaccine.
Michael Kenny, Juliette’s father, remembered his daughter was “fit, healthy and strong” before her death and was “a force in this world”.
“With her beautifully positive energy she spread fun, love and happiness to those around her and she continues to do so now,” he said.
“The devastation of her loss to us, her family and friends is immeasurable.”
Mr Kenny added that future deaths from the illness “can be avoided” and urged the government to improve access to the MenB vaccine for young people still at risk.
“No family should experience this pain and tragedy,” he said. “The work to protect young people has started. It needs to be more.”
MenB is the most common cause of meningococcal meningitis in the UK, but routine vaccinations were only rolled out in 2015, meaning the current generation of students and others in their late teens are not covered.
University students have been queuing for hours for the vaccine this week, with at least 1,600 jabs administered as of Thursday evening, according to NHS England.
More than 100 students were turned away on Thursday due to the queue being too long for all to be seen by staff before the end of the day.
A new vaccination centre will open at Faversham Health Centre on Friday as part of the expansion, with jabs available to those eligible from 09:00.
Vaccines will also be available at the Vicarage Lane Clinic in Ashford.
Of the 27 confirmed or suspected meningitis cases – up from 20 on Wednesday – one has been confirmed at a higher education institution in London, which was “directly linked” to those in Canterbury, the UKHSA said.
Three cheerleaders from the University of Kent are among those in hospital, according to a team member, and supermarket chain Morrisons said that a member of its staff who attended Club Chemistry had contracted meningitis.
On Thursday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC that the risk remained “extremely low”.
“It’s absolutely fine for people to go about living their lives in a normal way,” he said.
Forty MPs have signed a letter to Streeting calling on the government and health officials to work with universities on catch-up vaccination programmes, and to improve awareness.
Vinny Smith, chief executive of Meningitis Research Foundation, added that the government needs to “decide now to save lives,” emphasising MenB’s “lifelong impact”, including disabilities caused by the illness.
The UKHSA has also issued a public health alert for doctors in England to watch out for meningitis symptoms.
Its chief executive, Prof Susan Hopkins, told the BBC that she had never seen “such an explosive start to a meningitis outbreak”.
She said the strain that had been detected had been circulating for five years.
Hopkins added that the bacteria was being studied and hopefully there would be more answers in the coming days and weeks.
Historically the “vast majority” of meningitis outbreaks had been successfully controlled by interventions, she added.
