Meningitis breaks out in four districts in N/R

An outbreak of cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM) has been reported in four districts in the Northern Region, leaving one person dead.

An 18-year-old student of Yendi Senior High School ,Agnes Nigari, has died of the disease.

Thirty cases have been reported so far. Out of the number, 23 were reported from Yendi, two from the Mion District, one from the Zabzugu District and two from the Saboba District.

The Yendi Municipal Disease Control Officer, Awuni Mbabila, made this known when he briefed the Yendi Municipal Epidemic Management Committee at a meeting in Yendi last Friday.

Report early

He said those with severe head and neck pains should report to a health facility.

Mr Mbabila said an analysis of cases had been done by person, place and time to present a clear picture of the situation.

He said the Hospital Epidemic Management Team had moved to the affected areas in the municipality to assess the situation and also educate residents on the disease.

According to him, health workers at the sub-districts were also carrying out intensive public sensitisation on the disease to avoid an outbreak.

Alarming

The Yendi Municipal Chief Executive, Issah Zakaria, said CSM was becoming  alarming in the municipality and it was for that reason that the emergency meeting was called to discuss how the outbreak could be contained. The meeting  was attended by representatives of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Red Cross, the Veterinary Service, the Environmental Health Unit, the Information Services Department, as well as religious leaders and assembly members,

The meeting appealed to the health authorities to supply CSM vaccines to the Yendi Hospital to enable it to carry out massive vaccination to avoid an outbreak.

Source: GNA