Death toll from meningitis continue to increase across Nigeria in the past few weeks with Zamfara recording the highest casualties.
At least 269 people have died from the disease with Zamfara accounting for 80 of those cases. Alhaji Suleiman Gummi, Commissioner for Health in Zamfara State, confirmed that 80 people had lost their lives as a result of the disease while about 500 others are receiving treatment across the 14 local government areas in the state.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control confirmed the 269 deaths from meningitis, with 1,828 suspected cases in 15 states across the country. The death record from meningitis in 2016 was 33, according to the NCDC.
Meningitis is an airborne contagious disease that can be transmitted through kisses, sneezes, and coughs. It is an inflammation of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord and can be caused by viral or bacterial infections.
The NCDC said it is working with the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) to bring the disease under control.