Birmingham Student Evacuated from University Amid Meningitis Outbreak
A Birmingham student has described fleeing her university campus in Kent following a major meningitis outbreak, comparing the experience to the Covid-19 pandemic. Mashaal Chughtai, a 22-year-old law student, said her parents made an eight-hour round trip from Birmingham to collect her after the situation escalated.
Panic and Long Queues for Antibiotics
Mashaal first learned about the outbreak through a university society group chat, where an article was shared reporting two fatalities in Kent due to meningitis. She then received official university emails warning students to monitor for symptoms. "When I read on in the article it said 'through meningitis' and I just had to pause for a second," she recalled.
The student described waiting almost two hours in long queues to obtain antibiotics as panic spread among the student population. Many were uncertain if a lockdown would be imposed, adding to the anxiety on campus.
Parents' Emergency Journey from Birmingham
Concerned for their daughter's safety, Mashaal's parents immediately drove from Birmingham to Kent to bring her home. The eight-hour round trip highlights the urgency felt by families during the health crisis. Mashaal, who is in her final undergraduate year, said the atmosphere was reminiscent of the pandemic.
"I remember seeing some people in hazmat suits. I remember seeing some ambulances," she said. "It just feels like a simulation. It feels like Covid all over again. It's just surreal."
University Response and Rising Case Numbers
According to BBC reports, the University of Kent has moved assessments online in response to the outbreak. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed that the number of cases linked to the meningitis outbreak in Kent has risen to 34 as of Saturday, March 21, up from 29 previously.
Of these cases:
- 23 have been confirmed as meningitis
- 11 cases remain under investigation
- 18 of the 23 confirmed cases are meningitis B
- All cases have required hospital admission
The UKHSA continues to monitor the situation closely, urging vigilance for symptoms among students and the wider community.
