Meningitis Outbreak: Nigeria reports 4,915 suspected cases, 361 deaths

September 11, 2024

By Samuel Ogunsona

A recent update from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reveals a concerning surge in meningitis cases across the country.

According to the NCDC Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, a total of 4,915 suspected cases of cerebrospinal meningitis have been recorded in 24 states during the 2023/2024 seasons.

Tragically, the outbreak has claimed 361 lives, resulting in a case fatality rate of 7.3%.

He said, “A total of 859 samples were collected from the reported suspected cases since the beginning of the
outbreak, and 378 were confirmed (44 per cent positivity rate). Neisseria meningitides serogroup C account for 90 per cent, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) six per cent, Spn -three per cent, NmX, and NmW one per cent each

Age group five to 15 years were reported the most affected. 60 per cent of the total suspected cases are male. The five most affected states are Yobe (3014), Bauchi (517), Jigawa (389), Katsina (352), and Gombe (316), which account for 93 per cent of all cases reported.

He stressed that there have been high increase in t he trend of cases from the beginning of 2024 compared to the previous years.

“There has been an increase in several cases (4915) by 157 per cent in the 2023/2024 season compared with (1914) cases in the 2022/2023 season.”

“The NCDC in their capacity are working tirelessly to contain the spread of the disease, and the Federal Government has implemented measures to enhance coordination and response efforts” the agency said.