‘Meningitis took her from us lower than 12 hours later’: Family of faculty woman killed by virus say first signal teen was sick was when she vomited… then the color began draining from her face – as they name for ALL kids to have entry to jabs

The father of an 18-year-old girl who died following an outbreak of meningitis in Kent has revealed how her condition deteriorated just hours after contracting the disease.  

Juliette Kenny died on Saturday March 14, one day after first showing symptoms of the deadly bug which has swept across the country, with cases confirmed in several towns in Kent and in London.

The year 13 student at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham had been ‘fit, healthy and strong’ before her death and had completed the practical assessment for her PE A-level on Thursday March 12.

Her father Michael Kenny first became aware that his daughter was ill when she vomited in the early hours of Friday March 13.

‘In the morning on Friday, she was taken, by us, to our local emergency drop-in as a discolouration appeared on her cheeks,’ Mr Kenny said. 

The teen was not showing any other symptoms at the time and was given antibiotics before being taken to A&E in an ambulance. 

‘Juliette fought bravely for hours, but despite the fantastic NHS hospital staff fighting alongside her, meningitis took her from us less than 12 hours later,’ Mr Kenny added. 

‘We were with her at the end, and the last sounds that she heard were the voices of those who loved her telling her how very much loved and cherished she is.’

Mr Kenny described his daughter as having ‘beautifully positive energy’, adding the ‘devastation’ of her death is ‘immeasurable’ and something ‘no family should experience’.

In a statement, Mr Kenny said: ‘We are incredibly proud parents to two wonderful daughters.

‘Juliette is a force in this world. With her beautifully positive energy she spread fun, love and happiness to those around her and she continues to do so now.

‘The devastation of her loss to us, her family and friends is immeasurable.

‘Sharing stories of the empathy, warmth and fun that she created is helping her family and friends through at this time. Her energy continues to make the people who love her find a way.

‘The illness took her from us so quickly.’ 

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.’

Along with the Meningitis Research Foundation, Mr Kenny and his family are calling for the UK to take urgent action to improve access to the menB vaccination for teenagers and young people.

He said: ‘No family should experience this pain and tragedy. This can be avoided. There are young people currently battling this and young people still at risk.

‘As parents, we knew our children would change the world and be a force for good. The work to protect young people has started. It needs to be more.

‘Juliette’s impact on this world must be lasting change. Now is the time to ensure families are safe from the impact of meningitis B.’

Vinny Smith, chief executive of Meningitis Research Foundation, said in 2015 the charity’s calls for the menB vaccination to be ‘routinely available’ on the NHS for all at-risk age groups was ‘not taken forward’ as it was ‘judged not to be cost-effective’.

The menB jab was introduced on the NHS for babies in 2015, meaning the majority of young people born before then are not protected against it unless they have had the jab privately.

The Kenny family were not aware that the vaccination is not routinely available on the NHS for teenagers and young adults, and that to have this they would need to pay for it privately.

Mr Smith called on the Government to ‘decide now to save lives’ and highlighted menB’s ‘lifelong impact’, including disabilities caused by the bug.

He said: ‘When we made the case for menB vaccination to be routinely available on the NHS in 2015 for all at-risk age groups, wider protection for teenagers and young adults was not taken forward (it was judged to not be cost-effective within the criteria used at the time).

‘Our concern, then and now, is that this has not fully reflected the impact of menB or the full value protection from a vaccine brings.

‘It hasn’t accounted for the severity of meningitis, its lifelong impact, or the trauma and bereavement experienced by families.

‘People across the country will have seen that impact this week; we believe the UK Government can decide now to save lives and limit the lifelong disabilities caused by meningitis, protecting people for generations to come.’

On Thursday, 40 MPs signed a letter addressed to the Health Secretary calling on the Government and health officials to work with universities across the country on catch-up vaccination programmes, and to improve awareness.

It also said the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI) review of eligibility for meningitis vaccines should be conducted at pace.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that as of 5pm on Wednesday, 15 cases of meningitis have been confirmed and a further 12 are under investigation.

This takes the total to 27 cases of either confirmed or suspected meningitis, up from 20 on Wednesday. Currently, nine of the 15 confirmed cases are known to be caused by menB.

The outbreak, which has been linked to Club Chemistry, a nightclub in Canterbury, has also killed a 21-year-old University of Kent student. 

The bacteria is believed to have spread in student accommodation at the university, potentially among those sharing vapes, drinks bottles and cooking utensils.

On Thursday, a university student revealed three people with meningitis linked to the Kent outbreak are members of a university cheerleading society. 

Olivia Parkins, 18, who is part of the cheerleading society at the University of Kent, said there had been three confirmed cases within the group – all of whom were in hospital.

Morrisons confirmed an employee at its Sittingbourne distribution centre who attended Club Chemistry had contracted meningitis.

London animation and games school Escape Studios said one if its students with links to the county had also contracted meningitis. 

Around 15,000 people who have potentially been exposed to meningitis are being urged to get the MenB jab as a matter of urgency in a bid to stem its unprecedented spread. 

Officials last night came under fire for closing the queue for jabs at the University of Kent, turning away more than 100 students so they could close their doors at 5pm.

Posting on Facebook the university said: ‘The queue has been closed as nursing staff are unable to see any more people within the clinic’s remaining opening hours today.

‘The team have been working incredibly hard to vaccinate as many people as possible.’

At 4.10pm yesterday, students trying to join the queue for vaccines were turned away by security staff, and dozens who had already been waiting in line were also told to go home.

Those trying to join were told that medical staff had to work out how many people they could fit in before the service officially closed at 5pm.

It is understood staff wanted to vaccinate the final person at 4.30pm, in order to give them enough time to sit for the necessary 15-minute observation period to ensure they had no immediate side-effects.

The university said the vaccination clinic will reopen today from 9am to 5pm and advised people to be in the queue by 2pm.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting yesterday announced on a visit to the university that more people will be vaccinated.

He said anyone who attended Club Chemistry from March 5 until March 15 would be offered the jab, alongside sixth-formers at four schools and other university students in Canterbury.

The NHS has written to all GPs telling them to offer jabs to eligible patients who may have left Kent and returned to their family home, so they do not need to return to the county.

Professor Robin May, UK Health Security Agency chief scientific officer, described the cluster of cases as a ‘very unusual outbreak’ and said experts are examining whether the bacteria itself may have ‘evolved to be better at transmitting’.

Meanwhile, Dr Anjan Ghosh, director of public health at Kent County Council, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme they were not in the position yet to say the outbreak has been contained.

Officials said 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available to the private market to ease the demand at pharmacies from people who want to pay for a jab.