Tributes have been paid to an « incredibly kind, thoughtful, and intelligent » year 13 student who died after meningitis outbreak in Kent.
Juliette Kenny, 18, who attended Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham in Kent, died on Saturday after the outbreak that killed another person and put 11 people into hospital.
Her father said they had been left « beyond devastated, and they have no words to express their loss. »
Juliette’s heartbroken grandmother, Linda Kenny, also told the Daily Mail: « I just can’t bring myself to say anything, otherwise I will cry. We are all on antibiotics because we were with Juliette in hospital when she passed away. »
Amelia McIlroy, the headteacher of Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, confirmed one of its year 13 pupils had died.
She said: “Juliette was a student at our school for seven years. She was incredibly kind, thoughtful and intelligent and she loved our school and was very happy here. Juliette embraced everything that school had to offer with great enthusiasm and joy and her humour and positivity were captivating.
« She was a genuinely caring and attentive listener, a true friend – who listened with warmth, respect and sincere interest to her peers and to our staff. In short, she was a lovely girl – her beautiful smile, her loving nature and her sense of fun will be hugely missed. We are all devastated. Our love and thoughts are with her family and friends at this terribly sad time.”
At the university campus on Motudents described their worries as they queued for antibiotics. The specific strain of meningitis has not yet been identified.
Several students were wearing face masks, and staff handed out more to those waiting. Two teenage brothers said they had been left terrified after going to a party which was hosted by a friend who is now in hospital with meningitis.
Matthew McDonagh, 16, and his brother Luca, 17, were at a party in Whitstable, Kent, on Saturday with one person who has now been diagnosed with the infection. He said: “It’s quite scary. Like, just like, I can’t believe it. It’s just insane… It’s completely unbelievable. I never thought this would happen again [after Covid]. We’ve been told that we don’t even know if the pill that they give you is actually going to help us.”
The headmaster of the Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys also said in a letter to parents that one of its year 13 students has been admitted to hospital with meningitis. An update sent to parents at the Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford, Kent, confirmed a diagnosis for a year 13 student admitted to hospital.
The letter said: “We are writing to update you following our earlier communication regarding the student in year 13 who had been admitted to hospital with a suspected case of meningitis. We have now been informed that the diagnosis has been confirmed and the student is receiving appropriate hospital treatment.”
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