The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, has said that 23 persons have been reported dead from cerebrospinal Meningitis within one week in two states of the federation.
The ugly development, according to the country’s disease control and prevention agency, occurred between March 27 and April 2, 2023.
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The centre in its epidemiological report cited on Sunday, said the deaths were from Jigawa which had six and Yobe state with 17, respectively.
Between October 2022 and April 2, 2023, the report said a total of 235 confirmed cases were reported, with 118 deaths from 22 states and 79 local government areas.
“The national multi-sectoral Cerebrospinal Meningitis Technical Working Group (TWG) continues to monitor response across states.
“As of April 2, 2023, a total of 1,479 suspected cases, including 118 deaths (Case Fatality Ratio, CFR 9.3 per cent), were reported from 22 states in 2022/2023 Cerebrospinal Meningitis seasons,the report said.
It listed persons between ages 5 to 14 as the most hit age group.
In all, bbmales were 57 per cent, females were 43 per cent.93 per cent of all cumulative cases were from five (5) states: Jigawa (1064 cases), Yobe (234 cases), Zamfara (36 cases), Bauchi (23 cases) and Adamawa (21 cases).
The disease is said to be the infection of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
The disease is said to be capable of affecting people of any age.
However, it is said to mainly affect babies, preschool children and young people.
Experts said its symptoms may develop over several hours or over a few days. This, they added , could include sudden high fever, stiff neck, severe headache, nausea or vomiting, confusion or trouble concentrating, seizures, sleepiness or trouble waking, sensitivity to light, no appetite or thirst, and skin rash in some cases, such as in meningococcal meningitis.
The bacteria that cause meningitis are transmitted from person-to-person through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions from carriers.