Baby girl severely ill in hospital with meningitis amid ongoing outbreak

LocalHealth & Fitness
18 Mar 2026 • 8:19 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • A nine-month-old girl, Nala-Rose Fletcher, is critically ill with severe meningitis in Evelina London Children's Hospital, with doctors stating she will face lasting difficulties, though her illness's connection to a wider outbreak is unclear.
  • Her parents, Nick Fletcher and Danielle Trott, have received over £5,000 in support via a JustGiving page and have updated the public on her ongoing critical condition and need for operations.
  • Health chiefs are investigating 20 cases of meningitis among young adults in Kent, an "explosive" outbreak that has led to two student deaths.
  • The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has deployed a national response, confirming six cases as meningitis B strain and investigating a potential "super-spreader event".
  • GPs have been advised to prescribe antibiotics to individuals who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5-7 March and University of Kent students, with 5,000 students also offered the MenB jab.

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