The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed that no fewer than 328 persons have died in the latest outbreak of meningitis in different parts of Nigeria.
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikezie Ihekweazu, disclosed that the Centre has recorded about 2,524 suspected cases in Nigeria and listed Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Niger as the most affected states.
According to Chikezie, the outbreak started in Zamfara before it spread to other states and eventually spreads to 16 out of the 36 states. At least five people have died in Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said, “We have about 2,524 cases across the country and exactly 131 of those have been confirmed, (laboratory confirmed) for meningitis and there have been 328 deaths.”
However, he disclosed that the NCDC has been working very hard with the state government, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Ministry of Health, as well as the World Health Organization and UNICEF, to curb the menace and, according to him, much progress has been made so far.
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