762 persons died of meningitis, Lassa fever in two years – NCDC
Seven hundred and sixty-two (762) persons across the country died from Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) and Lassa fever between 2023 and 2024, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has said.
Dr Jide Idris, the agency’s Director General disclosed this in Abuja while giving an update on the Lassa fever and meningitis outbreaks in the country.
According to ldris, 361 meningitis-related deaths occurred across 174 local government areas in 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while Lassa fever accounted for 401 fatalities in 28 states, adding that Nigeria saw 4,915 suspected meningitis cases, with 380 confirmed cases during the same period.
The Director General further explained that weather conditions like the dry season that brings dust, winds, cold nights, and frequent upper respiratory tract infections, increase the risk of infection, especially with crowding and poor ventilation.
The highest burden of CSM in Nigeria, according to him, occurs in the “Meningitis Belt” which includes all 19 states in the northern region, the FCT, and some southern states such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, and Osun, stressing that a total of 2, 281, 750 doses of meningitis vaccines (Men5CV- ACWYX) have been administered in Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa and covering 134 wards in the 13 LGAs.
He said the campaign targeted individuals aged 1-29 years, comprising 70% of the population, while Nigeria recorded a total of 3,372 Lassa fever cases between 2022 and 2024, as well as a total of 401 deaths from the disease between 2023 and 2024.
Idris explained, “In 2022, Nigeria reported 1,067 confirmed cases across 27 states and 112 LGAs.
“In 2023, 28 states and 114 LGAs reported confirmed cases, with 9,155 suspected cases, 1,270 confirmed cases, and 227 deaths.”
As of October 13, 2024, 8,569 suspected cases, 1,035 confirmed cases, and 174 deaths have been reported across 28 states and 129 LGAs, he said.
