‘The videos are terrifying’: students describe spreading panic amid Kent meningitis outbreak

Students queue for antibiotics in Canterbury and worry about who they have been in contact with, as exams are moved online

‘The videos are terrifying’: students describe spreading panic amid Kent meningitis outbreak

TL;DR

  • A meningitis outbreak has affected the University of Kent and three local schools in Canterbury.
  • Two people have died from the disease: a university student and a year 13 student named Juliette.
  • Hundreds of students queued for antibiotics, and in-person exams have been moved online.
  • Students expressed fear, concern about spreading the infection, and some have fled campus.
  • Social media content is described as heightening the fear among students.
  • The UKHSA advises seeking immediate medical attention for suspected meningitis, septicaemia, or sepsis.