Within the timeframe of December 25, 2023, to April 2024, Yobe State Government documented a total of 2,510 instances of Cerebrospinal Meningitis, specifically Type C.
Out of these cases, 85 individuals lost their lives due to the disease either before or upon reaching medical facilities.
Dr. Muhammad Lawan Gana, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, disclosed these figures during a press briefing regarding the outbreak of meningitis in the state.
Dr. Gana mentioned, “In the period from December until last week, we have had a tally of 2,510 cases with 85 fatalities. Investigations revealed that all 85 individuals who passed away either sought medical attention very late or did not seek help at all.”
Furthermore, the state registered 28 fresh cases and one fatality in the past 24 hours.
“Over the last two weeks, only two deaths were reported from meningitis,” Dr. Gana stated.
Efforts to combat the disease outbreak in the state include the establishment of a temporary Emergency Operations Centre in Potiskum town, which is the epicenter of the outbreak. Potiskum Specialist Hospital has been designated as a tertiary site for managing meningitis cases, and more than 400,000 individuals in the area have been vaccinated against Type C meningitis.
Additional measures involve the enlistment of adhoc personnel, including an infectious diseases professor, to handle cases, extensive community awareness programs, and regular review meetings with partners to assess the current situation.
Dr. Gana mentioned, “As a result of these interventions, we have observed a decrease in the number of fatalities.”
However, Dr. Gana refuted claims circulating on social media alleging that the state had recorded over 200 deaths in the last two weeks due to a mysterious disease.
He dismissed the report as fake, deceptive, and baseless.