NHS 'missed opportunity to raise alarm' about Kent meningitis outbreak
Two students have died in the outbreak – 18-year-old Juliette Kenny, who was described by her family as “fit, healthy and strong” before her death, and a University of Kent student
Last updated 25th Mar 2026
It is claimed the NHS missed an earlier opportunity to alert the UK Health Security Agency about a meningitis outbreak in Kent.
The Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate is understood to have first reported a case to the UKHSA on Friday 13 March.
The patient had arrived in hospital two days earlier on Wednesday evening, but the trust waited until there was a formal diagnosis via a confirmed test before raising the alarm.
Dr Des Holden, Acting Chief Executive, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our first patient presented on the evening of Wednesday 11 March.
“We recognise there was an opportunity prior to diagnosis being confirmed on Friday 13 March to notify UKHSA.
“We cannot go into the detail of individual patients’ care, but the Trust has been in close contact with UKHSA since Friday 13 March to discuss the management of patients presenting with suspected meningitis”.
The UKHSA said it could have meant the agency began its investigation sooner, as well as provide antibiotics to close contacts of the patient to prevent anyone developing invasive meningitis.
Two students have died in the outbreak – 18-year-old Juliette Kenny, who was described by her family as “fit, healthy and strong” before her death, and a University of Kent student.
According to the UKHSA, the peak of the outbreak – with the largest number of cases reported – was on March 13.
As of 12.30pm on Monday, 20 cases of meningitis had been confirmed, with a further three under investigation, bringing the total to 23.
This was down from 29 on Sunday, when 20 cases were confirmed and a further nine were under investigation.
Officials started vaccinating University of Kent students on Wednesday March 18.
NHS Kent and Medway said that by 11am on March 24, 13,386 doses of antibiotics were given out – along with 10,627 vaccines.
All patients in the Kent outbreak have required hospital admission. Nine were admitted to the intensive care unit, where four remain.
The UKHSA has been contacted for comment.