WHO Report Says Nigeria Recorded 532 Cases, 124 Deaths From Meningitis In Seven Months

The World Health Organisation, WHO, has disclosed that from October 1, 2022, to April 16, 2023, Nigeria recorded 532 suspected cases of meningitis, with 124 deaths, with a case-fatality ratio of seven per cent.

The cases were reported in 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory from 81 local government areas.

The report further state that males account for 57 per cent of the total suspected cases.

The report added, “The highest proportion of reported cases is among children aged 1 to 15 years.

“Jigawa state accounts for 74 per cent (n = 1252) of all suspected cases, and this State borders the Zinder region in Niger, where a meningitis outbreak has been reported since October 2022.”

It explained that a total of 481 cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected from patients in 18 states, adding that out of the samples, 247 tested positive for bacterial infection by PCR test, while the positive cases, 226 (91 per cent) were caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C (NmC).

13 cases (5.4 per cent) were caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, and only one case (0.4 per cent) was caused by Haemophilus influenzae.

It said that the confirmed cases were reported from eight states, including Jigawa (231), Zamfara (six), Yobe (five), Benue (one), Gombe (one), Katsina (one), Oyo (one), and Sokoto (one), stressing that for 232 samples, the result was negative, and for two samples, the result is pending.