328 deaths recorded as meningitis spreads to 90 LGAs in 16 states

The Federal Ministry of Health, has disclosed that 90 local government areas in 16 states of the Federation are so far affected by the outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).
 
The states include Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Nassarawa, Jigawa, FCT, Gombe, Taraba , Yobe, Kano, Osun, Cross Rivers, Lagos and Plateau. The total number of people affected across these states is 2524 with 328 deaths.

The ministry in a statement by its Director of Media and Public Relations, Boade Akinola, noted that the end of the epidemic is in sight

"The Federal Ministry of Health calls upon the general public to remain calm as the disease Cebro-spinal Meningitis (CSM) is both preventable and curable. Although the cumulative number of people and locations affected may continue to increase, the actual rate of increase has begun to decline in some states indicating that the end of the epidemic is in sight," he said.

Nigeria is currently experiencing an outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) that has spread across the country and mostly affecting States in the upper parts of the country which fall within the African Meningitis Belt. Other Countries that are facing similar outbreaks at the moment include our West-African Neighbours like Niger, Chad, Cameroun, Togo, and Burkina Faso.