Louise Jones-Roberts said the staff member is receiving treatment and is awaiting further tests to see if their condition has improved
The owner of a club has issued a sad update after a meningitis outbreak in the area killed at least two people.
A member of staff at Club Chemistry in Canterbury has been hospitalised with confirmed meningitis, the club’s owner has said. Hundreds of others are seeking treatment following an outbreak linked to the venue.
Louise Jones-Roberts told the BBC the staff member is receiving treatment and is awaiting further tests to see if their condition has improved. Two other staff members are currently in A&E with suspected meningitis, with results still pending.
She said she had contacted around 90 of the club’s 95 staff members, all of whom have been advised to take antibiotics.
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More than 2,000 people attended the club over March 5 to 7 and now need tracing and antibiotics as a precautionary measure. Ms Jones-Roberts said: “It is not a hard decision to close – we are talking about people’s lives.” The club will remain closed until further notice.
The outbreak comes amid a wider meningitis crisis in Kent. Three schools have confirmed cases, and two students have died. One of the students, Juliette, a year 13 pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham, was described by her headteacher as “incredibly kind, thoughtful and intelligent.” The other death occurred at the University of Kent, where some students have been put into induced comas.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed 13 cases have been notified since March 13, including the two deaths. It urged anyone who visited Club Chemistry during the weekend in question to come forward for antibiotics. UKHSA advice has also been issued to around 16,000 staff and students at the University of Kent.
Trish Mannes, UKHSA regional deputy director for the South East, said: “Our thoughts remain with the friends and family involved. Some cases visited Club Chemistry, and it is important that anyone who attended between March 5 and 7 now comes forward for preventative antibiotic treatment.”
At the university campus, students queued for antibiotics, with several wearing face masks and staff handing out more. Among them were two teenage brothers whose friend is hospitalised with meningitis, while another from their circle is in an induced coma.
Schools affected include Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys and Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford, both of which have confirmed year 13 students are receiving hospital treatment. Headteachers and parents have been advised that UKHSA guidance remains in place.
Rosie Duffield, Independent MP for Canterbury, stressed that meningitis requires close contact to spread and encouraged anyone concerned to contact her office or their GP.
A University of Kent spokesperson said the university is following UKHSA guidance, communicating with students and staff, and contacting known contacts of any cases. “We recognise that this is a very sad and worrying time for many members of our community,” the spokesperson added.
Antibiotics for those who attended Club Chemistry are available from Gate Clinic at Kent and Canterbury Hospital; Westgate Hall, Canterbury; the Carey Building, Thanet Hub, Margate Northwood Rd; and the Senate Building at the University of Kent.
