Four hundred people have been infected with a new strain of meningitis – an inflammation of the meninges (the three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord) – in northern Ghana out of which 40 have died, the Ghana Health Service (SHS) has said in a statement.
Meningitis can occur when fluid surrounding the meninges becomes infected. The most common causes of meningitis are viral and bacterial infections.
In the five regions up north, the Upper West alone has recorded 258 cases.
The GHS said the latest outbreak of meningitis is caused by a new strain of bacteria; Neisseria meningitis serotype X, which has no vaccine and streptococcus pneumonia, which has an average case fatality of 40 per cent.
The GHS attributed the high number of deaths to late reporting, adding that despite being a new strain, patients who report early enough could be treated and managed.
Source: classfmonline.com