Cerebrospinal Meningitis deaths soar to 40 in Upper West Region

Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, has indicated that the region has recorded 258 cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) with 40 deaths within the period of January 1 to April 12, 2020.

He said the death rate of the disease stood at 15.5 per cent and described it as a worrying situation.

Dr Bin Salih said this in Wa at a media briefing on the status of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and CSM cases in the region.

He said about 80 per cent of the CSM deaths recorded was as a result of late reporting to the health facility.

The Regional Minister indicated that though the sero-type X meningitis, which was affecting the people in the region, had no vaccine it could be treated.

He thus appealed to the public to report immediately to the health facilities anytime they experienced symptoms such as stiffness of the neck and fever among others.

He explained that the region received 7500 vials of ceftriaxone, 1,100 infusions and five packs of pastorex from the World Health Organization (WHO) and additional 540 vials of ceftriaxone from donors to fight it.

Dr Bin Salih added that a team of medical experts were sent to the region to help manage the situation of CSM.

Talking on the COVID-19, the Regional Minister stated that the six cases recorded in the region on Sunday, April 12, were all imported cases.

He said five of those cases were people who travelled into the country about three weeks ago from South Africa, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Australia and Germany before the President announced the closure of the borders, while the sixth person travelled into the region from Western Region.

The six new cases recorded brought the total number of confirmed cases in the region to seven with no death recorded.

He added that the immediate contact person of the first recorded case in the region was tested negative of the virus.

Dr Bin Salih observed that 2,731 travellers entering the region were screened, with 56 suspected cases being recorded, 14 travellers on manifest, two of the travellers quarantined and 33 samples collected so far.

“What really is of huge challenge and concern to all of us is the discrimination and stigma attached to people suspected of having the virus,” he said

The Regional Minister, therefore, urged the public to consider the coronavirus as any other disease and to desist from discriminating and stigmatizing against victims of the virus.