Two young people have died from a rare form of meningitis in Kent, UK, with eleven others seriously ill. The outbreak is believed to have spread at the Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury from March 5–7. Swedish students Nathalie von Rainals and Cornelius Schlyter report anxiety and long queues for antibiotics.
In Kent, UK, two people have died from a rare form of meningitis. One of the deceased was a student at University of Kent, the other a pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham. Eleven more young people, all aged 18 to 21, have fallen seriously ill. The infection is suspected to have spread at a social event at the Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury between March 5 and 7, according to UK Health Security Agency and reports in The Times and Daily Mail. The club has a capacity of 1,600 people over three floors. On Sunday, authorities worked to identify the disease strain. Long queues have formed at University of Kent for prophylactic antibiotics. Swedish student Nathalie von Rainals, 22, studying there, says: “People are very worried” and “it feels a bit unstructured with so many queuing at once”. She notes the situation resembles the covid-19 pandemic with social media speculation. Her exam has been postponed to mid-April, but the library remains open during the break. Swedish Cornelius Schlyter, 17, at college in Canterbury, queued with friends for a tablet: “There was a very long queue, but impressive how quickly they set it up”. Many are staying home: “Yes, absolutely. A lot have stayed home to avoid going out unnecessarily”. The university remains open, but fewer students are present.
