Meningitis Kills 118 In 22 States — NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, weekend disclosed that Cerebrospinal Meningitis, CSM, killed 118 persons in 22 states between May 2022 and April 2nd 2023 with 1479 suspected cases. In its latest epidemiology report, the Agency also reported that no fewer than 23 persons were killed in one week, between March 27 and April 2, 2023.

The report showed that of 512 samples collected, 235 confirmed with 46 per cent positivity rates in the beginning of the CSM seasons.

The latest report of 23 deaths, according to the  report were from Yobe -17 and Jigawa – 6. The report showed that the most affected age groups were 5-14 years, males 57 per cent, and females  43 per cent.

It also stated that 93 per cent of all cumulative cases were from five states of Jigawa (1064 cases), Yobe (234 cases), Zamfara (36 cases), Bauchi (23 cases) and Adamawa (21 cases).

“From the beginning of the season, the following twenty (21) states reported suspected CSM cases in 2022/2023, Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara. Number of new suspected cases in Epi week 13 (212), increased by 8 per cent compared with Epi week 12 (196).”

The report also disclosed that 17 wards that have crossed epidemic thresholds were targeted for vaccination and 194,487 persons aged 1-29 yeas were targeted for vaccination in the affected areas

Meanwhile, the national multi-sectoral Cerebrospinal Meningitis Technical Working Group (TWG) has continued with it monitoring response across states.

The report further identified difficulty in accessing some communities due to security concerns for instance in Zamfara, inadequate trained personnel in states for case management, poor and inconsistent reporting from states, among other challenges.