Call for thousands of revellers who visited ground zero nightclub over three nights to come forward for preventive meningitis antibiotics – as third school confirms case in deadly outbreak

The UK Health Safety Agency has urged anyone who visited a nightclub in Canterbury to come forward to receive antibiotics following a meningitis outbreak.

The government body has advised anyone who visited Club Kimya in the city center on March 5, 6 or 7 to come forward ‘for preventive antibiotic treatment as a precautionary measure’.

A year 13 pupil called Juliette at a school in Faversham and a student from the University of Kent have died, while 11 others have been left seriously ill after a series of cases linked to the venue.

The UKHSA contacted Club Chemistry owner Louise Jones-Roberts after being told that someone who attended the club at the weekend had ‘since been diagnosed with meningitis’.

Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford also confirmed that one of its Year 13 students has meningitis and is currently ‘receiving treatment in appropriate hospital’.

The school had previously warned parents about the possible diagnosis and said it was taking ‘precautionary steps in line with public health guidance’.

A Year 13 pupil from Simon Langton Boys’ Grammar School was also hospitalized with meningitis.

Headteacher Simon Langton announced the boy’s diagnosis earlier today, saying: ‘Our thoughts are with him and his family at this difficult time and we hope for a speedy recovery.’

Students queued at the University of Kent in Canterbury today due to a meningitis outbreak

Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School headteacher Amelia McIlroy, ’13’ He announced that one of his “most popular students” in the class had died of meningitis.

He said: ‘We are all absolutely devastated. Our love and thoughts are with their family and friends. Our priority now is the safety, well-being and support of all members of our school community at this terribly sad time.

‘We will work with UKHSA to ensure all necessary measures are taken to protect our students and staff.’

She added: ‘If your child is feeling unwell (especially if there is vomiting, purple-bluish bruising-like marks, unexplained high fever or cold hands and feet) you should seek medical attention immediately.’

19-year-old Casey Marlow is another victim of the meningitis outbreak. He was hospitalized just days after going to a Canterbury nightclub to celebrate his birthday with friends.

Casey’s mother Emma Marlow, 38, spoke to the Daily Mail from her daughter’s bedside in the isolation ward at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford today.

She allowed the shocking photo of her daughter, looking weak and exhausted after being diagnosed with meningitis, to be used on this site.

Probation officer Miss Marlow, from Ashford, explained Casey began feeling unwell a few days after his night out and his condition rapidly deteriorated.

Casey Marlow, 19, was hospitalized just days after he and his friends spent the evening at a nightclub thought to be at the center of a deadly meningitis outbreak.

Casey’s mother Emma Marlow says her daughter should make a full recovery with antibiotics

Miss Marlow told the Daily Mail: ‘Casey went to the nightclub on Friday, March 6th and a few days later she said she had a sore throat, but we didn’t think anything of it at first.

Then on Saturday, he came to my house and called me and told me that he felt bad, his fever was high, his neck was stiff and he had a terrible headache.

‘He looked really pale and we went to the hospital where he has been ever since. ‘He is in isolation but is regaining some color and is receiving plenty of mummy care.’

Casey, who works at a local Five Guys burger restaurant, told his mother he ‘felt bad’ for the week after the nightclub visit but described it as ‘lurgy’.

Ms Marlow added: ‘We didn’t think it was anything serious, just one of those bugs running around. He said he had no energy and felt very tired, but on Saturday when he was taken to the hospital, he had a very high fever and looked terrible.

‘You don’t think something like this could happen to you or anyone in your family.’

Ms Marlow revealed Casey, who should have made a full recovery with antibiotics, was at Club Chemistry in Canterbury with another girl and two boys.

Two other girls who attended the event on Thursday were also sharing e-cigarettes with each other; One was currently in hospital after being taken to A&E on Saturday night.

Keeleigh Goodwin, 21, who lives in the same house in Canterbury, was diagnosed with meningitis B and is now expected to remain in hospital for at least a week.

Keeleigh Goodwin, 21, was diagnosed with meningitis after attending an event at Club Chemistry on Thursday.

Keeleigh, who lives at home in Canterbury, was diagnosed with meningitis B and is currently in hospital.

Meningitis is spread through close contact, such as kissing, and microbiologists today confirmed the Canterbury cases were the severe bacterial form of the disease.

11 people, most of whom were thought to be university students, remained seriously ill.

Infectious disease experts believe the outbreak is ‘unusual’ and may be due to a combination of low vaccination rates since the Covid pandemic and a ‘new strain with different behaviour’.

The ACWY-135 vaccine is given to young people aged 13-14 in the 9th grade in England. Experts say the vaccination rate among students is 73 percent.

More than 30,000 students and staff on campus have been warned by the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) to be alert for symptoms. The university has now postponed some face-to-face exams and moved others online.

This is breaking news. More to follow.