Meningitis: Nigeria confirms 118 deaths, 235 cases in 22 states

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 118 persons dead from cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) in 22 states across the country.

The agency confirmed the figure in its cerebrospinal meningitis report from October 2022 to April 2 released on Saturday.

It added that 235 confirmed cases and 1,479 suspected cases were recorded in 79 local government areas across the 22 states during the period.

The states 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 NCDC put the case fatality ratio for the CSM at 9.3 percent.

Meningitis is a devastating disease and remains a major health concern for authorities.

It is a serious infection of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, and caused by one of bacteria, virus, or fungi.

The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and stiffness of the neck.

READ ALSO: Jigawa State hit by Meningitis outbreak, casualties recorded

Other symptoms include confusion or altered consciousness, nausea, vomiting, and an inability to tolerate light or loud noises.

The report read: “As of April 2, 2023, a total of 1,479 suspected cases including 118 deaths (CFR 9.3 percent) reported from 22 states in 2022/2023 CSM seasons.

“A total of 512 samples were collected, 235 confirmed with a 46 percent positivity rate since the beginning of the CSM seasons 2022/2023.

“Ninety-three percent of all cumulative cases were from five states – Jigawa (1,064), Yobe (234), Zamfara (36), Bauchi (23), and Adamawa (21).

“14 LGAs across four states – Jigawa (8), Yobe (4), Bauchi (1) and Zamfara (1), reported more than 10 cases each this CSM season 2022/2023.”

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