Eight killed in fresh outbreak of meningitis in Katsina

At least eight people have died in an outbreak of Meningitis in Tsabu village, Mai’adua local government area of Katsina state.

Nasiru Mani, director of primary health care of the council, confirmed this to NAN on Thursday.

Mani said the outbreak of the deadly disease was discovered in the last two days following a report from the community.

He said 16 cases were recorded out of which eight people lost their lives.

According to him, the remaining patients have been admitted at the Mai’adua and Daura general hospitals for proper medical attention.

“We (LGC) had since deployed a surveillance team to the area to address the situation,’’ Mani said.

“I called on our people to avail themselves for the ongoing vaccination against such diseases to curb further spread of the disease.

“We have designated centres at our rural clinics where people are being immunised or vaccinated against such diseases.”

Mani said the combined efforts of state and local government medical teams have succeeded in addressing the problem.

He commended the role of Medicines San Frontiers (MSF), also known as doctors without borders, for their efforts in addressing the outbreak.

He urged the people of the area to adhere to the safety measures like sleeping inside ventilated rooms, houses and environs, to prevent the disease.

He also advised residents to report suspicious cases and visit nearby health centres over any symptom.

As at April 26, Adewole Isaac, the minister of health, said the death toll of the disease in Nigeria was 813, while there are over 8,000 suspected cases.