More than 100 students were turned away while queuing for a jab in the major vaccine rollout after officials at the University of Kent’s Canterbury campus stopped letting people in “due to capacity”.
People trying to join the queue at 4.10pm were turned away and were told that staff administering vaccines had to work out how many people they could fit in before admissions officially closed for the day.
The vaccination programme there and elsewhere in Kent resumes on Friday.
The number of cases of meningitis linked to the “explosive” outbreak in Kent has risen to 27, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said the eligibility criteria for having a jab would be widened, so that anyone who attended the nightclub at the centre of the outbreak from 5 March until it closed on 15 March 15 would be offered the jab, alongside sixth-formers at four schools and more university students in Canterbury.
An urgent public health alert has been issued to NHS staff, urging them to be vigilant for signs and symptoms.
Key Points
- Number of cases rises to 27
- Three members of cheerleading society hospitalised with infection
- London animation school says individual at their studios has meningitis
- Health agency issues alert to NHS staff
- 'Super-spreader' event blamed for infections
Thousands of antibiotics given as NHS jabs made available privately
03:45 , Jane DaltonSo far more than 8,500 antibiotics and 1,600 vaccines have been now given to eligible people in Kent amid the meningitis outbreak.
The UK Health Security Agency says 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available to the private market to ease the demand at pharmacies from people who want to pay for a jab. Some pharmacies say supplies have run low.
Most people already vaccinated were inoculated against MenACWY strains, not the MenB strain.
Be careful about sharing vapes, Streeting warns
02:30 , Jane DaltonHealth secretary Wes Streeting said young people should be cautious about sharing vapes, but added he was not the "fun police".
He said that as a "rule of thumb" it is "not hygienic to share things like vapes around your mates".
Mr Streeting told told BBC Newsbeat : "It's absolutely fine for people to go about living their lives in a normal way and there is no reason for me to be the fun police today and tell students across the country that they shouldn't be going out this weekend and doing the things that they would normally do in a nightclub."
Experts investigate why bacteria spread more easily
01:15 , Jane DaltonProfessor Robin May, UKHSA chief scientific officer, said this was a very unusual outbreak and that experts were looking at why meningitis in these cases may have become more transmissible.
Prof May told the BBC: "Typically, you would expect to see sporadic cases of meningitis, typically individual patients. Most days, actually, we would see one in the UK.
"What is particularly remarkable about this case, and unexpected about this case, is the large number of cases all originating from what seems to be a single event.
"There are two possible reasons for that. One is that there might be something about the kind of behaviour that individual people are doing.
"The other possibility is the bacteria itself may have evolved to be better at transmitting."
Prof May said the bacteria can be transmitted by sharing utensils, cups and vapes.
More vaccination centres opening
23:59 , Jane DaltonMore vaccination centres are opening across Kent on Friday following an expansion of the government's meningitis immunisation programme.
One facility, at Faversham Health Centre, will begin administering jabs at 9am on Friday and will remain open on Saturday.
Other clinics are also scheduled to open at the Vicarage Lane Clinic in Ashford and at the University of Kent, NHS England has said.
The Gate Clinic at Kent and Canterbury Hospital will be open throughout the weekend for walk-ins.
Vaccinations are now available to anyone who attended the Club Chemistry venue from 5 March to 15 March, year 12 and 13 pupils at affected schools, students and staff at the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church university, and close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases.
At least 100 students turned away from vaccine queue
23:00 , Jane DaltonMore than 100 students in Kent queuing for a vaccine were turned away.
The University of Kent said it had closed the queue on its Canterbury campus "due to capacity" because it needed to finish the clinic by 5pm.
The university wrote on Facebook: "The queue has been closed as nursing staff are unable to see any more people within the clinic's remaining opening hours today.
"The team have been working incredibly hard to vaccinate as many people as possible."
The university said the vaccination clinic would reopen on Friday from 9am to 5pm, and advised people to be in the queue by 2pm.
At 4.10pm on Thursday, students trying to join the queue were turned away by security staff.
It is understood staff wanted to vaccinate the final person at 4.30pm to allow for the necessary 15-minute observation period for immediate side-effects.
Risk to public low, says Streeting, on visit to university
22:00 , Jane DaltonHealth secretary Wes Streeting visited the vaccination centre at the University of Kent, and talked to nurses, where he said the outbreak of meningitis was not like Covid, and the risk to the general public was extremely low.
He announced that sixth-formers at four schools where there are known or suspected cases will now be offered the vaccine.
"These are proportionate steps to help us contain spread and we're keeping that situation under review," he said.
Streeting promises more people will get jabs
20:59 , Jane DaltonHealth secretary Wes Streeting has pledged that more people affected by the meningitis outbreak in Kent will be given vaccines.
Mr Streeting said more would get protection against meningitis B, which has been the strain affecting those who fell ill after visiting Club Chemistry in Canterbury.
He said anyone who attended the club from 5 March until it closed on 15 March would be offered the jab, alongside sixth-formers at four schools and more university students in Canterbury.
Currently, nine of the 15 confirmed cases are known to be caused by menB.
On a visit to the University of Kent, Mr Streeting said: "We are now encouraging anyone who attended Club Chemistry from 5 March until it voluntarily closed to come forward for both antibiotics and vaccination.
"Furthermore, we're expanding vaccination to anyone who's previously been offered the prophylactic antibiotic.
"That will include a large number of students here at the University of Kent.
"And it will include some students at Canterbury Christchurch University.
"It will also include sixth-formers at four schools where there are known or suspected cases.
"These are proportionate steps to help us contain spread and we're keeping that situation under review."
Mr Streeting said the outbreak was not like Covid and that the risk to the general public was extremely low.
Watch: Growing queue at University of Kent meningitis vaccination centre
20:30 , Rebecca WhittakerGovernment ‘playing Russian roulette’ by not offering all young people meningitis B jab, campaigners say
20:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Government ‘playing Russian roulette by not offering all young people meningitis jab’
Recap: 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available for private jabs
19:30 , Rebecca WhittakerUKHSA said the NHS Kent and Medway website will be updated shortly with vaccination sites for all those eligible for a menB jab.
It added that 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available to the private market, to ease current demand experienced by pharmacies.
These will enter the private market within around 48 hours, it said.
Pharmacies have been inundated with people wishing to pay for menB jabs privately.
Mother backs push for meningitis jab for teenagers after son’s near-death battle
19:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Mother backs push for meningitis jab for teenagers after son’s near-death battle
Everyone offered antibiotics can now get the vaccine
18:40 , Rebecca WhittakerMeningitis B vaccines will now be offered to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotic treatment as part of this outbreak.
More than 900 University of Kent students have been vaccinated against menB since a targeted vaccination programme started on Wednesday.
Kent meningitis outbreak latest - eligibility for the MenB vaccine has been expanded. Keep up with the outbreak on our blog post.
— UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) March 19, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/xhhIekjbUL pic.twitter.com/fwbSZA4d0v
Nine-month-old baby girl battles meningitis in intensive care as outbreak continues
18:20 , Rebecca Whittaker
Nine-month-old baby girl battles meningitis in intensive care as outbreak continues
Who can now get the menB vaccine?
18:00 , Rebecca WhittakerMeningitis B vaccines will now be offered to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotic treatment as part of this outbreak.
This includes University of Kent students who live on the Canterbury Campus and other relevant halls of residence; close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases, and students in four education settings in Kent where cases have been confirmed.
Anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5th and 15th March will also be offered a vaccine and antibiotics as a precaution after one suspected case revisited the nightclub before it shut voluntarily.
Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: “By extending the vaccination programme to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotics, we are taking an important additional step to protect those most likely to have been exposed.
“The message is simple: if you have had the antibiotic, you are also eligible for the vaccination.”
Recap: What strains does the vaccine protect against?
17:40 , Rebecca WhittakerThe vaccine that is most likely to be used in the targeted programme – Bexsero – covers up to 80 per cent of menB strains.
There will be some protection around two weeks after the first dose, but for full protection two doses are needed. The second is given at least four weeks later.
Experts said the jab will “greatly increase students’ immunity to most menB strains but not straight away”.
Protection can last years after two doses of the jab, with some experts estimating that it lasts for up to 36 months.
What is meningitis B? Symptoms, vaccine and what to avoid as NHS staff issued urgent warning
17:20 , Rebecca Whittaker
Why were people turned away from the vaccine queue?
17:00 , Rebecca WhittakerAbout 100 people who had been waiting for vaccines were turned away.
People who were trying to join the queue at 4.10pm were turned away.
Those trying to join were told that medical staff administering vaccines had to work out how many people they could fit in before the queue officially closed at 5pm.
It is understood they wanted to vaccinate the final person at 4.30pm, in order to give them time to sit and wait for 15 minutes afterwards – as every person who has received the jab has had to do.
Watch: Growing queue at University of Kent meningitis vaccination centre
16:45 , Rebecca WhittakerStudent who went to the nightclub turned away from vaccine queue
16:30 , Rebecca WhittakerA student who went to the nightclub at the centre of the meningitis outbreak was also turned away from the vaccine queue.
Hayden Taylor, 19, a radiography student at Canterbury Christ Church, went to the Club Chemistry nightclub on March 12.
He was turned away by security staff when he arrived at the centre at around 3pm on Thursday, despite the vaccines being given until 5pm.
“I had the antibiotics already,” Mr Taylor said. “We already knew it was going to be busy.”
It comes after the University of Kent was forced to close the meningitis B vaccine queue due to "capacity".
Student says she was turned away from vaccine queue
16:15 , Rebecca WhittakerIsobel, 21, an English literature student at the University of Kent, was turned away after a 80-minute drive to the centre by her mother.
She said: “My mum has had to drive me an hour and 20 minutes to get the vaccine.
“It is very inconvenient. I’m coming back tomorrow and hope that they have got some.”
Watch: Kent chief medical officer insists meningitis vaccine 'highly effective' as rollout begins
16:00 , Rebecca WhittakerGovernment ‘playing Russian roulette’ by not offering all young people meningitis B jab, campaigners say
15:45 , Rebecca WhittakerGovernment ‘playing Russian roulette by not offering all young people meningitis jab’
What strains does the vaccine protect aganst?
15:30 , Rebecca WhittakerThe vaccine that is most likely to be used in the targeted programme – Bexsero – covers up to 80 per cent of menB strains.
There will be some protection around two weeks after the first dose, but for full protection two doses are needed. The second is given at least four weeks later.
Experts said the jab will “greatly increase students’ immunity to most menB strains but not straight away”.
Protection can last years after two doses of the jab, with some experts estimating that it lasts for up to 36 months.
Kent campus as quiet as Covid, food truck owner says
15:15 , Rebecca WhittakerA food truck owner on the University of Kent campus said it has been the quietest week since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Daow Coombes, 55, owner of A Taste Of Thailand, said she usually serves 200 portions a day from her food truck, but sold just 10 on Thursday.
“The students get their injections and then hide in their bedrooms,” she said. “It’s been the quietest week since Covid.”
Ms Coombes, who said she has run the business for around 10 years, said she would likely close early today.
20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available for private jabs
15:01 , Rebecca WhittakerUKHSA said the NHS Kent and Medway website will be updated shortly with vaccination sites for all those eligible for a menB jab.
It added that 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available to the private market, to ease current demand experienced by pharmacies.
These will enter the private market within around 48 hours, it said.
Pharmacies have been inundated with people wishing to pay for menB jabs privately.
Students say Kent University took too long to respond to outbreak
15:00 , Rebecca WhittakerA student has said the university did not respond quick enough to the outbreak.
“It took three days to get the information. That’s precious time that could have been avoided,” politics student at the University of Kent who gave her name as Kamila said.
Speaking from the queue outside the vaccine centre, the 23-year-old claimed she tried to get the vaccine on Wednesday but the queue was “atrocious”.
She added: “I’m going home and I’m not coming back on campus for a while.”
Also queuing for a vaccine was Mia Shenton, 23, a psychology student, who welcomed the university’s decision to move exams online.
“Definitely the best thing they could have done,” she said. “A lot of people were saying that if they were not moved online they would not turn up.”
Uni forced to close meningitis B vaccine queue
14:59 , Rebecca WhittakerUniversity of Kent was forced to close the meningitis B vaccine queue due to "capacity".
In a post on social media site X, the University of Kent said: The queue has been closed as nursing staff are unable to see any more people within the clinic’s remaining opening hours today."
"The team have been working incredibly hard to vaccinate as many people as possible."
The clinic will reopen again on Friday to Sunday.
It comes as the vaccine is now being offered to University of Kent students who live on the Canterbury Campus and other relevant halls as well as anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5th and 15th March.
MenB vaccine update - 19 March - 2.50pm
— University of Kent (@UniKent) March 19, 2026
The queue for the MenB vaccine is now closed due to capacity.
The queue has been closed as nursing staff are unable to see any more people within the clinic’s remaining opening hours today.
The team have been working incredibly hard to… pic.twitter.com/mhxV5Yzc7c
Meningitis vaccine offered to everyone who has received antibiotics
14:56 , Rebecca WhittakerMeningitis B vaccines will now be offered to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotic treatment as part of this outbreak.
This includes University of Kent students who live on the Canterbury Campus and other relevant halls of residence; close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases, and students in four education settings in Kent where cases have been confirmed.
Anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5th and 15th March will also be offered a vaccine and antibiotics as a precaution after one suspected case revisited the nightclub before it shut voluntarily.
Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: “By extending the vaccination programme to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotics, we are taking an important additional step to protect those most likely to have been exposed. The message is simple: if you have had the antibiotic, you are also eligible for the vaccination.”
'It's not hygienic to share things like vapes around your mates,' warns Streeting
14:50 , Rebecca WhittakerHealth Secretary Wes Streeting has insisted he is not the “fun police” as he told young people to cautious about sharing vapes.
He said: “Firstly, it spreads through close personal contact.
“That can include things like kissing, sharing vapes, sharing drinks, living in shared accommodation, which is why we’ve been so proactive in getting antibiotics and vaccines out to students, and now all club-goers who were at Club Chemistry in Canterbury from March 5 onwards.
“But the risk remains extremely low. In any normal year we would expect to see at least 350 cases and that’s roughly one a day.”
He said that as a “rule of thumb” it is “not hygienic to share things like vapes around your mates.”
He added: “It’s absolutely fine for people to go about living their lives in a normal way and there is no reason for me to be the fun police today and tell students across the country that they shouldn’t be going out this weekend and doing the things that they would normally do in a nightclub.”
More than 8,500 antibiotics given following Kent meningitis outbreak
14:42 , Rebecca WhittakerMore than 8,500 antibiotics have been given due to the meningitis outbreak.
On its website, NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board said 8,559 antibiotics had been given as a preventative measure to eligible people in Canterbury, Ashford, Thanet and Medway as of 10.30am on Thursday.
Students living in halls at the University of Kent started being offered the meningitis B vaccine on Wednesday, and Health Secretary Wes Streeting has since announced it would be expanded to anyone who has been offered preventative antibiotics.
This will include many Kent students, some students at Canterbury Christ Church University and sixth formers at several schools where there have been confirmed or suspected cases.
What is meningitis?
14:24 , Holly EvansMeningitis is an infection of the meninges, the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
Meningitis affects around 2.3 million people globally every year. It’s estimated that up to one in every 10 cases of bacterial meningitis is fatal, according to the NHS.
Although anyone can get meningitis, it is more common in babies, children, teenagers and young adults.
Early warning signs of meningitis include a high temperature, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain and stomach cramps.
As the condition develops, it can make people drowsy, irritable and confused, as well as cause severe muscle pain, pale, blotchy skin, spots or a rash, stiff neck, an aversion to bright lights and convulsions or seizures.
Why the University of Kent meningitis outbreak was years in the making
14:11 , Holly EvansTwo young people are dead and 27 are receiving treatment after a meningitis outbreak at the University of Kent. The students caught up in it belong to a generation that has never been routinely vaccinated against the strain responsible.
That is not because a vaccine doesn’t exist. It does. Bexsero, which protects against meningococcal group B disease (the strain responsible for the Kent outbreak) has been available since 2013. The UK even became the first country in the world to add it to its national immunisation schedule, in September 2015.
But only for babies.
Read the full article here:
Why the University of Kent meningitis outbreak was years in the making
40 MPs sign letter urging government to work with universities on vaccines
13:53 , Holly EvansSome 40 MPs have signed a letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting urging the Government and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to work with universities on a catch-up vaccination programme for meningitis.
In the letter, posted on X by Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield, MPs said: “The need for an emergency vaccination in Canterbury highlights our broader concern of the ongoing risk that [meningitis B] poses to students and young people.”
MPs added: “MenB is now the leading cause of invasive meningococcal disease in the UK. Where a safe and effective vaccine exists, it is increasingly difficult to justify its absence for those demonstrably at risk.
“Impacted families have spoken of their shock that a separate vaccine existed but was not routinely offered.
“We feel that it is a tragedy that a vaccine exists but is not routinely offered to this group.”
MPs have urged the Government and UKHSA to ensure the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI) review of eligibility for meningitis vaccines is conducted at pace, to work with universities across the country on catch-up vaccination programmes, and to improve awareness.
“What has happened to the families in east Kent and to all those before them is nothing short of a tragedy,” the letter concludes. “No family should have to discover too late that protection was available, but not available to many on our NHS.”
Pleased to have joined with @JessicaToale and 39 other MPs for a cross-party letter asking the Secretary of State to consider wider rollout of the MenB vaccine. pic.twitter.com/sSgVTwA9Df
— Rosie Duffield MP (@RosieDuffield1) March 19, 2026
Streeting cautions students against sharing vapes
13:40 , Holly EvansHealth Secretary Wes Streeting told reporters on a visit to the University of Kent that young people should be cautious about sharing vapes but he is not the “fun police”.
Speaking about how meningitis spreads, he explained: “Firstly, it spreads through close personal contact.
“That can include things like kissing, sharing vapes, sharing drinks, living in shared accommodation, which is why we’ve been so proactive in getting antibiotics and vaccines out to students, and now all club-goers who were at Club Chemistry in Canterbury from March 5 onwards.
“But the risk remains extremely low. In any normal year we would expect to see at least 350 cases and that’s roughly one a day.”
He said that as a “rule of thumb” it is “not hygienic to share things like vapes around your mates.”
He added: “It’s absolutely fine for people to go about living their lives in a normal way and there is no reason for me to be the fun police today and tell students across the country that they shouldn’t be going out this weekend and doing the things that they would normally do in a nightclub.”
Over 900 students vaccinated against menB
13:33 , Holly EvansMore than 900 University of Kent students have been vaccinated against menB since a targeted vaccination programme started on Wednesday, local health board leaders said.
In an update on its website, NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board said 930 vaccines had been given as of 10.30am on Thursday.
The board told the Press Association: “More than 900 students have been vaccinated against menb since the targeted vaccination programme launched yesterday.”
The programme was announced by the Department of Health and Social Care on Wednesday, starting with University of Kent students living at Canterbury campus halls of residence.
The University of Kent said on Thursday that all students and staff are now eligible for menB vaccination.
Mother who almost lost her son to meningitis calls for programme to vaccinate teenagers and young people
13:20 , Rebecca WhittakerA mother who was warned her student son might not survive as he battled meningitis B has backed calls for a programme to vaccinate teenagers and young people.
Gaynor Simpson said it is “heart-breaking” and “infuriating” that two young people have died amid a meningitis outbreak in Kent when there are vaccines available.
The menB vaccine was introduced on the NHS for babies in 2015 but children born before then have not been vaccinated on the health service.
Mrs Simpson, whose son Ross, a computing science student at the University of Glasgow, fell ill aged 18 in 2023, said she would have had him protected “in a heartbeat” if she had known about the vaccine sooner.
Mrs Simpson said she was “heartbroken” to hear about the deaths in Kent and that it highlights the need for vaccinations for teenagers.
She said: “There’s two mums out there on that day that had the worst possible Mother’s Day.
“It’s heart-breaking, but it is also infuriating, because we know that there’s a vaccine there that could protect and saves lives.”
'I’m over the moon there are more vaccines,' says Club Chemistry owner
13:13 , Rebecca WhittakerLouise Jones-Roberts, who owns Club Chemistry in Canterbury and has seen two members of staff with meningitis, said she was pleased there would be more jabs.
“I’m really pleased, I’m over the moon there are more vaccines,” she said.
“I’d like to see it given to all under-25s though. It needs to be looked at right across the country.
“As for reopening the club, there will come a time when it feels OK to open and we will know when the time is right.
“But it’s definitely not going to be this weekend.”
Why the University of Kent meningitis outbreak was years in the making
13:10 , Rebecca WhittakerWhy the University of Kent meningitis outbreak was years in the making
UKHSA says there are 15 confirmed and 12 probable cases of meningitis
13:04 , Rebecca WhittakerThere are now 15 confirmed and 12 probable cases of meningitis with epidemiological links to Canterbury, Kent UKHSA has said.
Nine of the 15 confirmed cases are meningococcal group B (MenB).
UKHSA said all but one case has been hospitalised. That one case was subsequently downgraded.
There have been two deaths.
It comes as the number of suspected cases of meningitis linked to an outbreak in Kent has risen to 27.
Mapped: Meningitis B vaccination rates in your area revealed as demand for jab surges
12:50 , Rebecca Whittaker
Mapped: Meningitis B vaccination rates in your area as demand for jab surges
Staff and students can get menB vaccine, Kent Uni has said
12:42 , Rebecca WhittakerAn email to students at the University of Kent confirms the vaccine rollout has been expanded to "any student or staff member at the University of Kent is now eligible for the menB vaccination".
The university has asked staff and students to bring their University of Kent IDs to get the vaccination.
In a post on it’s Facebook page the university said: “Following advice from the UK Health Security Agency, we can share that any student or staff member at the University of Kent is now eligible for the MenB vaccination.
“The vaccination clinic at our Sports Centre is open until 5pm today and from 9am to 5pm tomorrow (20 March). Students and staff MUST bring their University of Kent IDs to be able to get the vaccination. “
MPs call for a university catch-up vaccination programme
12:37 , Rebecca WhittakerAbout 40 MPs have signed a letter calling for a university catch-up vaccination programme for meningitis.
The letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting urges the Government and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to offer the vaccine to more young people.
In the letter, posted on X by Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield, MPs said: “The need for an emergency vaccination in Canterbury highlights our broader concern of the ongoing risk that [meningitis B] poses to students and young people.”
MPs added: “MenB is now the leading cause of invasive meningococcal disease in the UK. Where a safe and effective vaccine exists, it is increasingly difficult to justify its absence for those demonstrably at risk.
“Impacted families have spoken of their shock that a separate vaccine existed but was not routinely offered.
“We feel that it is a tragedy that a vaccine exists but is not routinely offered to this group.”
MPs have urged the Government and UKHSA to ensure the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI) review of eligibility for meningitis vaccines is conducted at pace, to work with universities across the country on catch-up vaccination programmes, and to improve awareness.
“What has happened to the families in east Kent and to all those before them is nothing short of a tragedy,” the letter concludes. “No family should have to discover too late that protection was available, but not available to many on our NHS.”
Watch: Kent chief medical officer insists meningitis vaccine 'highly effective' as rollout begins
12:30 , Rebecca WhittakerVaccine to be offered to more students, Wes Streeting says
12:17 , Rebecca WhittakerHealth Secretary Wes Streeting has widened students access to the meningitis B vaccine.
Currently the vaccine is being offered to the 5,000 students living in halls of residence at the University of Kent’s Canterbury campus.
But the BBC has reported Mr Streeting has called for anyone who was at the Canterbury nightclub at the centre of the meningitis outbreak to come forward and receive both antibiotics and the vaccine.
He told the BBC: "Today I'm announcing that anyone who was at Club Chemistry in Canterbury from 5 March should come forward for both the antibiotics and the vaccine.”
Meningitis cases may 'increase further in the coming days', Health Secretary says
12:12 , Rebecca WhittakerHealth Secretary Wes Streeting has warned the number of suspected cases will “increase further in the coming days” because meningitis B has a seven to 10-day incubation period.
“I would also expect that around the country, we may see the places reported, which are completely unrelated to the Canterbury outbreak, because we tend to have at least 350 meningitis B cases in any given year,” he added.
It comes as the number of cases of meningitis linked to an outbreak in Kent has risen to 27.
600 menB vaccines administered this afternoon
12:09 , Rebecca WhittakerMore than 600 menB vaccines have been administered this afternoon, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said.
“It’s great to see the rapid mobilisation of the vaccination centre here in Canterbury,” he said.
“We’ve got a steady stream of students coming through – over 600 vaccines administered on the first afternoon, which is really encouraging,” he added.
Meningitis 'isn't like Covid' Health Secretary stresses
12:04 , Rebecca WhittakerMeningitis “isn’t like Covid”, Health Secretary Wes Streeting stressed, adding the risk to the general public is “extremely low”.
During a trip to the Canterbury campus he said: “I also want to reassure people, that in terms of the way in which this infection and disease spreads, it is through close personal contact.
“We’ve got effective treatment through the antibiotic, we’ve got effective vaccination, which is up and running.
“All of those things taken together mean that the risks, even for students here in Canterbury, are relatively low.
“And, of course, the general public across the country, who are also watching with interest and concern, the risks to the general public is extremely low.”
Mr Streeting said it is “understandable” that people might be worried given the fatalities.
He added: “The way in which this disease spreads is from close personal contact … this isn’t like Covid.”
Morrisons employee who attended Club Chemistry in Canterbury has contracted meningitis
12:00 , Rebecca WhittakerA Morrisons employee who attended Club Chemistry in Canterbury has contracted meningitis, the supermarket chain said.
The individual, who works at a distribution centre in Sittingbourne, Kent, contracted meningitis after visiting the nightclub.
A Morrisons spokesperson told the Press Association: “We can confirm that a colleague at our Sittingbourne distribution centre visited Club Chemistry and subsequently contracted meningitis.
“He is currently receiving treatment and we are in close touch with his family.
“We are following all government guidance, the site is operating as normal and we are continuing to monitor the situation closely.”
Nightclub owner says venue will remain closed until outbreak is under control
11:47 , Holly EvansThe owner of a Canterbury nightclub where the meningitis outbreak is believed to have originated says it "will not open until this is under control".
Louise Jones-Roberts, the owner of Club Chemistry, told the BBC that two of her staff members remain in hospital with meningitis but should be released by the end of the weekend.
She said: "People are frightened. There's a lot of fear and anxiety.
"We are not prepared to open until we know this is under control and people are safe."
In pictures: Wes Streeting visits vaccine centre in Kent
11:27 , Holly Evans
‘Worst shift in 8 years’, Kent GP warns of pressures in wake of outbreak
11:16 , Rebecca ThomasGP and hospital services are facing a surge in demand from worried patients in the wake of the meningitis outbreak, health editor Rebecca Thomas has been told.
One GP, Stephanie DeGorgio, who works in a local urgent care center in Kent, posted on Twitter this week, “I have just had the worst shift in 8 years. So many worried people...People are sitting outside as no room.”
Her post comes as East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust warned its A&Es are “extremely busy”, with one source telling the Independent there has been a surge of children and parents attending emergency departments.
East Kent Hospitals have asked the public not to attend A&E for antibiotics and to use the local hubs being set up by the UK Health Security Agency instead.
Thank you to our local communities for your support. Our hospitals are extremely busy. A&E is here for serious illness, including meningitis symptoms, but please don’t attend for antibiotics—use the dedicated hubs. For other concerns, use 111, UTCs or pharmacies. pic.twitter.com/5MUvc6swJ3
— East Kent Hospitals (@EKHUFT) March 18, 2026
Students claim officials 'didn't seem prepared' as outbreak unfolded
11:01 , Holly EvansSpeaking after receiving the menB vaccine at the University of Kent on Thursday, Paris Summer, 22, a psychology student from Twickenham, claimed health officials had been too slow to raise the alarm.
She said: “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.”
A computer science student at the University of Kent who gave her name only as Tumi, 20, said she decided not to return home to guard against spreading the outbreak.
She said: “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.”
What does the ‘national alert’ on meningitis mean?
10:50 , Rebecca ThomasThe UK Health Security Agency published a national alert of the outbreak of meningitis in Kent this month.
The national alert was sent to health professionals across the country, giving advice on the management of meningitis and advice to patients.
The alert outlines steps for GPs and hospital clinicians to manage suspected cases and contact tracing to reduce the risk of it spreading.
The alert doesn’t necessarily mean the outbreak is expected to spread across the country, but allows for co-ordinate approach and advice to health professionals such as GPs.
Doctors were advised to give antibiotics “as soon as possible”, ideally within 24 hours of diagnosis, regardless of vaccination status.
UKHSA said on Thursday: “The risk to the wider population remains low. UKHSA continues to actively trace and offer preventative antibiotics to those in close contact with cases.”
Three members of cheerleading society hospitalised with infection
10:37 , Holly EvansOlivia Parkins, 18, is a member of the cheerleading society at the University of Kent.
She said that within the society there have been three confirmed cases – 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 told PA: “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.”
Ms Parkins said she was at her home in Bromley when she heard about the outbreak.
The student said she has been in contact with the confirmed cases, adding: “So far they’re okay.”
She said there has been “good communication” surrounding the outbreak.
Nine out of 15 confirmed cases are meningitis B
10:27 , Holly EvansThe UKHSA have said that nine of the 15 confirmed cases are known to be caused by meningococcal group B, otherwise known as Men B.
A further 12 cases are under investigation.
A health alert said the illness being seen in the Kent outbreak “has been severe with rapid deterioration” and urges clinical staff to take infection control measures in the period before patients are put on antibiotics, such as face masks and other personal protective equipment.
It urges doctors to have a “high index of suspicion where a young person aged 16 to 30 attends with consistent signs or symptoms” of the bug.
In pictures: Students receiving vaccines in Canterbury
10:14 , Holly Evans
London animation school says individual at their studios has meningitis
10:13 , Holly EvansA London animation school has confirmed that an individual who attended their studios has been admitted to hospital with meningitis.
It is related to the wider outbreak in Kent.
In a statement, Escape Studios said: “We have been made aware that an individual attending Escape Studios had been admitted to hospital after contracting meningitis. We understand that the individual is now recovering well, and our Student Services Team is offering support. This case is linked to the wider situation currently being managed in Kent.
“We have been working closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and local public health teams since being notified.
“This is a public health matter that is not specific to Escape Studios, and the response is being led by the UKHSA. As part of their standard protocol, UKHSA is carrying out contact tracing - close contacts of cases are being contacted directly by UKHSA and provided with advice on what to do next.”
Case in London 'directly linked' to Kent outbreak, UKHSA says
09:54 , Holly EvansThe UK Health Security Agency have confirmed that the case in London is “directly linked to the outbreak” in Kent.
One student at a higher education institution in London has been diagnosed with the virus, as well as pupils at four schools in Kent.
Number of cases rises to 27
09:38 , Holly EvansThe number of cases of meningitis linked to an outbreak in Kent has risen to 27, up from 20 previously, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
Symptoms, vaccine and what to avoid as NHS staff issued urgent warning
09:32 , Holly EvansHealth chiefs are investigating 20 cases of meningitis in Kent due to an “explosive” outbreak that has left two dead.
The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed the rise, up from 15, on Wednesday, adding it is deploying a national response to the crisis.
The majority of young people are not protected against meningitis B, also known as menB, unless they have had the jab privately, with it only introduced on the NHS for babies in 2015.
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Wes Streeting to visit a meningitis vaccination centre in Kent
09:17 , Holly EvansHealth Secretary Wes Streeting is to visit a meningitis vaccination centre in Kent on Thursday after a deadly outbreak of the infection.
The University of Kent said 600 meningitis B (menB) vaccines had been administered on Wednesday, after hundreds of students joined a queue outside the campus sports centre.
It comes after one school pupil and one university student died and 18 more cases were being investigated by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) following an outbreak of meningitis linked to a nightclub in Canterbury.
The UKHSA issued an alert for the NHS across England on Wednesday on signs and symptoms of meningitis to look out for, though this does not signal the outbreak is going to spread nationwide.
Watch: Kent chief medical officer insists meningitis vaccine 'highly effective'
08:59 , Holly Evans600 menB vaccines administered in Canterbury
08:46 , Holly EvansTo date, 600 meningitis B vaccines have been administered at the University of Kent Canterbury campus after hundreds of students joined a queue outside the campus sports centre.
Those who have received the jab will need to return for their second dose after a minimum of four weeks, while 6,500 antibiotics have also been given out as a precaution, the university said.
In total, around 5,000 university campus students are eligible for a jab and are being urged to come forward for the immediate protection offered by antibiotics and longer-term protection from the vaccine.
It comes after one school pupil and one university student died and 18 more cases were being investigated by the UKHSA, with some young people placed in induced comas.
