Supermarket chain Morrisons says a member of its staff who attended Club Chemistry in Canterbury - where the outbreak is believed to have originated - has contracted meningitis.

In a statement, it says: “We can confirm that a colleague at our Sittingbourne distribution centre visited Club Chemistry and subsequently contracted meningitis.

"He is currently receiving treatment and we are in close touch with his family.

"We are following all Government guidance, the site is operating as normal and we are continuing to monitor the situation closely.”

Jacob Phillips
Live reporter

Image source, PA Media

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced the rollout of the Meningitis B vaccine has been widened to include more students - here's the latest:

• Streeting said "anyone who was at Club Chemistry in Canterbury from 5 March should come forward for both the antibiotics and the vaccine"
• That means, he said, more students at the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University and four local schools will be eligible
• The health secretary said the "rapid spread" of the disease is "at an extent we haven't seen before"
• More than 900 people have been vaccinated so far as part of the existing targeted programme, which is focused on students staying on campus at the University of Kent
• Earlier, six more cases of meningitis were confirmed, bringing the total number of confirmed cases up to 15. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it is also investigating a further 12 suspected cases

• A top local health official told BBC Radio Kent that they expect a trickle of cases to come

The University of Kent has emailed students, saying it has received confirmation from the UKHSA that the rollout of the vaccine has been expanded, and that "any student or staff member at the University of Kent is now eligible for the MenB vaccination".

It says the vaccination clinic at the campus sports hall is "open until 5pm today and from 9am to 5pm tomorrow".

The university adds: "Students and staff MUST bring their University of Kent IDs to be able to get the vaccination."

Image source, PA Media

More now from Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who tells BBC Newsbeat that the risk of meningitis across the country "is extremely low" but has spread at an extent not seen before.

"We see around 350 cases of Meningitis B in any normal year so it wouldn’t be surprising to see reports of a case roughly every day around the country at a normal time," he says - reiterating comments made to BBC Breakfast yesterday.

Streeting adds: “What we have seen in Canterbury is a rapid spread at an extent we haven’t seen before and that’s why we have responded really quickly.

"We have been actively tracing the contacts of those with confirmed or suspected cases to get antibiotics to them.”

Today's Newsbeat will be from the University of Kent. You can listen live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has called for anyone who was at the Canterbury nightclub at the centre of the meningitis outbreak to come forward and receive both antibiotics and the vaccine.

Speaking to BBC Newsbeat's Pria Rai, Streeting says: "Today I'm announcing that anyone who was at Club Chemistry in Canterbury from 5 March should come forward for both the antibiotics and the vaccine.

"Anyone who was previously been offered the antibiotic can now get the vaccine, that will include more students at the University of Kent, at Canterbury Christ Church University and the sixth formers at the four schools where we've seen confirmed or suspected cases."

Image source, PA Media

Simon Jones
Reporting from the University of Kent

Forty MPs - many with universities in their constituencies - have written to the health secretary urging the government to introduce a catch-up vaccination programme for students against Meningitis B.

The letter states: "No family should have to discover too late that protection was available, but not available to many on our NHS."

The vaccination programme in Canterbury aimed at students living in halls of residence at the University of Kent is continuing. The government is keeping vaccine provision under review.

Simon Jones
Reporting from the University of Kent

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield has called for all Year 13 pupils in Kent to be offered vaccines following the meningitis outbreak.

“They are all in the same cohort," the independent MP says. "My kids know people at uni and the other way round. They do all mix together especially at that age going to clubs.

"So eventually I hope that will happen.”

Duffield is also urging the government to launch a new meningitis-awareness programme. Ministers say the provision of vaccines will be kept under review.

More than 900 students have received vaccinations as of 10:30am on Thursday, the local healthcare partnership says.

In its latest update, the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System says 930 vaccines have been given as part of the the targeted vaccination programme of students staying on campus at the University of Kent.

It adds that 8,559 antibiotics have been handed out at five sites in Canterbury, Ashford and Thanet.

The owner of a Canterbury nightclub where the meningitis outbreak is believed to have originated says it "will not open until this is under control".

Club Chemistry owner Louise Jones-Roberts tells BBC Breakfast two of the nightclub's staff members remain in hospital with meningitis, but should hopefully be able to return home by the end of the weekend.

She says: "People are frightened. There's a lot of fear and anxiety.

"We are not prepared to open until we know this is under control and people are safe."

• Read more: Club Chemistry 'won't open until people are safe' - owner

Three people with meningitis linked to the Kent outbreak are members of the cheerleading society at the University of Kent, a member of the student group says

Olivia Parkins tells news agency PA all three of them are currently in hospital.

The 18-year-old student says she was at her home in Bromley when she heard about the outbreak, and returned to campus on Thursday morning to queue up for a vaccine.

Parkins says: "I also live in the block where the outbreak happened. It was one of the two blocks that had to come in to get antibiotics."

She adds she has been in contact with the cases, saying: "So far they're OK."

The University of Kent says the vaccination programme for students living on campus continues to be rolled out - with those contacted by the university able to receive a jab today.

In a post on Facebook, it adds: "We recognise that there are students who are not currently eligible for the vaccine that may feel concerned.

"The programme is being delivered in line with national public health advice. We will continue to share updates if there are any changes."

Meanwhile, it says arrangements are "currently being developed" to allow students who live on the university's Canterbury campus but have already returned home to receive the vaccines closer to home.

It also thanked those in the local community "for the care, patience and responsibility you continue to show during this difficult time".

Simon Jones
Reporting from the University of Kent

The Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, is visiting the vaccination centre that has been set up in a sports hall at the University of Kent in Canterbury.

He will speak to students getting their jabs, medical staff administering the vaccines, and the media.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast yesterday, Streeting called the meningitis outbreak unprecedented - notably the scale of the spread.

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Simon Jones
Reporting from the University of Kent

Some 2,000 vaccinations are available today for students living in halls of residence at the University of Kent.

So many came forward for jabs yesterday that some had to be turned away.

They have been told to return this morning to the sports hall which has been converted into a temporary clinic - as more supplies are brought in.

The Department of Health says people who have already left the campus will be able to get a jab from their GP.

But there are growing calls for the programme to be expanded - after a case was confirmed at a second university in the city, Canterbury Christ Church.

At least 10 people with the infection attended the venue Club Chemistry. Its owner has written to the government urging it to roll out a national catch-up vaccination programme.

Michelle Roberts
Health editor, BBC News online

Let's bring you a little more from the UK Health Security Agency's latest statement.

Currently, nine of the 15 confirmed cases are known to be caused by meningococcal group B, otherwise known as Men B.

• What is Meningitis B?

All but one of these people have been hospitalised. That one individual was subsequently downgraded.

A London animation school says an individual who attended its studios has been admitted to hospital after contracting meningitis, linked to the wider outbreak in Kent.

In a statement, Escape Studios says: "We understand that the individual is now recovering well, and our Student Services Team is offering support."

As we reported earlier, in the UKHSA's daily update, it says a case has been confirmed in one student at a higher education institution in London.

Escape Studios says it is working closely with the UKHSA and local public health teams.

Before the announcement, Trish Mannes, the regional lead at the UKHSA in the south east, said she was "expecting a small number of additional cases" to be reported.

She told BBC Radio Kent it's important to note that it appears to be "largely a single transmission event... but because of the incubation period of this disease we will continue to get a trickle of cases".

She said that the agency is seeing a "real peak around 13 March of cases presenting" and there is no data seeing any further transmission event.

More now from the UKHSA, which says cases have been confirmed in students at four schools in Kent - as well as one student at a higher education institution in London.

The UKHSA says this case in London is "confirmed to be directly linked to the outbreak".

There have been six more confirmed cases of meningitis after an outbreak in Kent.

In an update, the UK Health Security Agency says as of Wednesday evening there have been 15 confirmed cases and a further 12 remain under investigation.

That brings the total number of confirmed or suspected cases to 27 - up from 20 as reported yesterday.

Two people are known to have died.

We'll bring you more in the next few moments.