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Two schools in Kent have announced closures while more have recorded positive cases of meningitis as the Government warns of an "unprecedented" surge. Five schools in Kent have confirmed meningitis cases with Dane Court Grammar School the latest to be hit by the outbreak.

In a letter to parents earlier today, March 17, the school said the pupil had "tested positive for meningitis". But in a new statement this afternoon, the school said: "Further to the letter that we shared with parents this morning, we have now been made aware that the student is not a confirmed case of meningitis, they remain under investigation and we will update you if we receive further information."

Kent County Council has confirmed that all mainstream schools are open as normal. However, two specialist schools-Nore Academy (SEMH) and the co-located alternative provision Estuary Academy Island-have been closed as a precaution.

The impact has been felt across several secondary schools in the region.

• Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School (Faversham): Confirmed the death of a Year 13 student and is working closely with UKHSA to support pupils and staff.
• University of Kent (Canterbury): Reported one student death along with a cluster of cases, leading to the postponement of all in-person exams and assessments this week.
• Norton Knatchbull School (Ashford): Confirmed a single case involving a Year 13 student but continues operating as normal in line with public health guidance.
• Highworth Grammar School (Ashford): Identified a suspected case in a Year 13 pupil who is currently hospitalised, prompting increased hygiene precautions across the school.
• Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys (Canterbury): Has been named among the schools connected to the outbreak, with confirmed links to the wider cluster.

• Dane Court Grammar School (Broadstairs): Initially reported a positive case but later issued a correction stating the student is not a confirmed case and remains under investigation.
• East Kent Colleges (EKC) Group: No confirmed cases.
• Canterbury Academy: The school has no confirmed cases but numerous students are seeking precautionary antibiotics due to visiting the Club Chemistry nightclub, where the outbreak has been linked too.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it was continuing to investigate the outbreak, which has been linked to a nightclub in Kent and killed two students.

Hundreds of people who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury on March 5, 6 or 7 have been urged to come forward for preventative antibiotic treatment as a "precautionary measure". Earlier today the Government agency said they had been "notified of 15 cases of invasive meningococcal disease with epidemiological links to Canterbury, Kent" as of 5pm yesterday.

The agency says that all cases have been hospitalised, and four of them have been confirmed through testing as the MenB strain.

Juliette, 18, a sixth form pupil at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School tragically died from the illness on Saturday. A 21-year-old University of Kent student has also died from meningitis.