HERO housemates who saved a law student when she was blinded and unable to walk due to meningitis have revealed how they feared their pal was half an hour from death.
Ciara Pearce and Jessica Lyons are now staying home as neighbours fear they are infectious after they rushed stricken housemate Annabelle Mackay, 21, to hospital last week.
Annabelle Mackay, 21, was rushed to hospital by her two pals after losing her sight and becoming unable to walk
Ciara Pearce, above, and Jessica Lyons are now staying home as neighbours fear they are infectious after they rushed stricken housemate Annabelle Mackay, 21, to hospital
Ciara and Jessica, above, both took single-dose antibiotics after the ordeal in their shared house last weekCredit: Jeesica Lyons
Medics began dishing out on campus in Canterbury on Wednesday after
University sports hall but the rest of the campus was near-deserted as many fled the outbreak’s epicentre.
One said: “It’s like a ghost town.”
The to stop the “explosive” outbreak before the Easter holidays.
Canterbury Christ Church University became the second uni embroiled in the incident after confirming its first student case.
Health Secretary said: “What’s worried us about the Canterbury outbreak is the pace and extent of the spread of the disease – it is unprecedented.”
He warned cases will likely continue to rise and unrelated infections might be found elsewhere across the country.
The is handing out single-dose to thousands of young people in the area as they prevent up to 90 per cent of cases and stop the spread of the bug.
Ciara and Jessica both took the meds after the ordeal in their shared house last week.
Annabelle fell ill after visiting Club Chemistry, the nightclub at ground zero of the crisis, on her birthday the previous weekend.
student Ciara, 21, emotionally recalled: “We were supposed to be going to the library at 6am but when Annabelle’s alarm went off she said she couldn’t come as she was too poorly.
“She asked me to get her water, which I did, and I made her a cup of tea.
“I said I would wake her up in a few hours and when I went to do that, things had started to deteriorate really quickly.
“We called 111 but I had to speak to the woman at points because Annabelle could hardly speak.”
The 111 operator advised Annabelle to stay home and hydrate but, after a call from her mum, Ciara and Jessica carried her downstairs to the car and took her to an urgent care centre nearby.
Pal Jessica, 20, who studies criminology, said: “I honestly couldn’t believe it when I saw Annabelle.
“Ciara had called me to help but I wasn’t expecting to see her in excruciating pain like that.
“She had a face mask over her eyes because she couldn’t look at light.
“It was terrifying.”
The three women drove 20 minutes to the medical centre and Ciara said: “Annabelle screamed as we went over every bump in the road.
“She was in agony. It was horrendous.
“By the time we got there I had to get a wheelchair to get her into the centre.
“She couldn’t sit up and she wanted to curl up in a ball.
Annabelle fell ill after visiting Club Chemistry, the nightclub at ground zero of the crisis, on her birthday the previous weekend
“The ambulance came and she was taken in it, I followed behind in my car.
“She couldn’t speak or see when we got to the hospital and the doctors were talking about resuscitation and the intensive care unit.
“It was the most terrifying thing I have ever seen.
“I honestly believe had we left it another half an hour, we would have lost her.”
Annabelle’s mum arrived at the hospital soon after and the hero housemates went home.
Ciara added: “I drove back to our house in a state of shock.
“I wasn’t scared I had contracted it so much, I was just scared for her.”
Annabelle is now recovering in hospital and has regained her sight but is still struggling to walk.
Jessica added: “We knew things were going to be okay when Annabelle finally came around in hospital.
“She still couldn’t see, but she joked to Ciara, ‘You really are the worst driver ever. I am never getting in that car again.’”
Health chiefs admitted on Tuesday it is the worst outbreak of its kind that they have seen in decades.
Master’s student Oliver Contreras, 22, was the first in line to get a jab when the rollout began yesterday afternoon.
He said: “I jogged most of the way here.
“My tenancy ends this weekend, so I wanted to make sure I got it on time.
“It was very quick. I just filled in a form and gave it to the person who was doing the injection.
“I had to wait 20 minutes to make sure there were no side effects but I’m a lot less concerned now.”
Meanwhile students were not seen leaving their dormitories for much else.
Many have headed home early for the Easter holidays, which officially begin next week.
Only a few dozen were spotted on campus despite the warmest of the year so far.
Sports student Jacob Benjamin, 18, said: “It’s much quieter than usual, it’s like a ghost town.
“The exams all went online and everyone’s gone home because of the meningitis.”
So far two young people have died in connection with the Kent outbreak and 18 more have been admitted to hospital.
Prime Minister Sir said on Wednesday: “Our deepest condolences are with the families and friends of the two young people who have died following the outbreak of meningitis B in Kent.
“Others are seriously ill. This will be a deeply difficult time for their loved ones.”
A Kent university student gets a jab after the outbreakCredit: PA
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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