A BABY girl with meningitis is critically ill in hospital amid a deadly outbreak.
Nine-month-old Nala-Rose Fletcher is in intensive care with a severe infection which will have lasting effects.
Nala-Rose, from Folkestone in Kent, fell ill on March 4, just days before a major outbreak was declared in Canterbury.
Anguished parents Danielle Trott and Nick Fletcher said has the same strain as the outbreak, according to KentOnline.
The devastating surge in Kent has been declared a national incident, with two young people already dead and at least 15 more infected.
Nala-Rose is believed to be the youngest person struck down with the devastating infection in the outbreak so far.
Read More on the outbreak
A JustGiving page has been set up to support the family and their “beautiful daughter”.
“Nothing can truly prepare you for the pain and fear that comes with what we’ve been living through, and are still living through,” they wrote in an update on the fundraiser.
“Nala-Rose is still very poorly and remains in intensive care,” they added.
“We already know she will be left with lasting difficulties for the rest of her life, and that’s something we’re only beginning to come to terms with.”
She is receiving treatment at Evelina Children’s Hospital in London and is due to have two daunting operations this week.
So far the fundraiser has received £3,500 in donations, with a £5,000 target.
The page also confirmed Nick and Danielle “have been informed that some of the damage caused by the meningitis infection will have lasting effects”.
The devastated parents thanked people who had generously donated to the fund for their poorly daughter.
“The kindness you’ve shown us, through your generosity and your words of support, has meant more than we can express,” they wrote.
Danielle and Nick added: “What your support does more than anything — is remind us that we are not facing this alone.
“And right now, that means everything.”
Meningitis can affect anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.
The news of Nala-Rose’s tragic battle with meningitis comes as the crisis has been declared a full-blown “national incident”.
The NHS, Department of Health and UK Health Security Agency have declared they are desperate to contain the spread before the Easter holidays.
The outbreak left a sixth-form pupil called Juliette and a 21-year-old University of Kent student dead. A further 13 people are in hospital.
It is understood that at least 11 of these were traced to a Canterbury nightclub called Club Chemistry.
Officials at the UK Health Security Agency and NHS warned the “unprecedented explosion” of cases is the worst meningitis outbreak they have ever seen.
Scientists are battling to prevent the spread of the “fast-acting” strain of Meningitis B.
The Health Secretary warned young people against snogging or sharing drinks and vapes while the outbreak is ongoing.
Mr Streeting said: “It doesn’t spread very easily.
“The bacteria is passed to others after a long period of close contact, for example living with someone in shared accommodation, through prolonged kissing or sharing vapes and drinks.
“That is where the risk exists.”
He added that he is particularly “concerned” about young people sharing e-cigarettes.
This comes after The Sun revealed hospitalised 21-year-old Keeleigh Goodwin is believed to have become infected after passing one round at Club Chemistry.
Khali Goodwin, a mum-of-six from Herne Bay, told Sun Health her daughter Keeleigh was rushed to A&E on Saturday night.
Only six hours prior, Keeleigh, who lives in a house-share in Canterbury, had told her mum she was starting to feel unwell.
“She was very very hot, then very cold, she had an almighty bad headache and was being sick,” Khali said.
“I just thought she had Covid, and said you need to sleep it off.
“Then she said her body was stiff but again, I never thought meningitis could be an option, because she’d had all her vaccinations.
“The next thing I knew, I woke up the next morning with voicemails on my phone from A&E, telling me that she was in there.”
Keeleigh, who works in McDonald’s in Canterbury, has since been diagnosed with meningitis B, the bacterial strain that is not covered by the vaccine teenagers get when they are in Year 9.
Keeleigh is currently in hospital, where her mum expects she will stay for at least a week.
Khali says Keeleigh visited Club Chemistry on the Thursday, March 12.
“She did say that one of her friends also has sort of the same symptoms, obviously not as bad, but they’ve been sharing a vape,” the mum says.
“I think sharing vapes is a major way of it being passed.”
