Meningitis killed 118 in 22 states – NCDC

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Meningitis killed 118 in 22 states – NCDC

Cerebrospinal meningitis has killed at least 118 persons in 22 states across 79 Local Government Areas in the country.

This was according to the data from October 2022 to April 2, 2023, released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Saturday.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, a thin layer of the connective tissue that covers the brain and the spinal cord. The inflammation can be caused by a variety of organisms – bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi.

CSM remains a priority disease and an ever-present public health threat in several countries worldwide with frequent epidemics that present a challenge for people, health systems, economies and societies.

The NCDC said 235 confirmed cases and 1,479 suspected cases had been recorded so far during the period under review.

The case fatality ratio stands at 9:3 per cent.

The 22 states reporting cases are Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

The report added, “As of April 2, 2023, a total of 1,479 suspected cases including 118 deaths (CFR 9.3 per cent) reported from 22 states in 2022/2023 CSM seasons. A total of 512 samples collected, 235 confirmed with 46 per cent positivity rate since the beginning of the CSM seasons 2022/2023.”

It said the age group mostly affected was five to 14, adding that males were 57 per cent and females were 43 per cent.

It added, “Ninety-three per cent of all cumulative cases were from five states – Jigawa (1,064), Yobe (234), Zamfara (36), Bauchi (23), and Adamawa (21).Fourteen LGAs across four states, Jigawa (8), Yobe (4), Bauchi (1) and Zamfara (1), reported more than 10 cases each this CSM seasons 2022/2023.”

The NCDC said its national multi-sectoral technical working group was coordinating response activities in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and development partners.