26 People Died As A Result Of The Meningits Outbreak In Nigeria

JAKARTA - A total of 26 people died from a meningitis outbreak in the state of Kebbi, Nigeria.

Nigeria is one of the areas with a deadly disease outbreak in Africa, with 1,700 cases reported last year, with more than 150 deaths recorded in seven states.

Kebbi state Health Commissioner Musa Ismaila confirmed the outbreak, citing a spike in cases in three local government areas.

"We are burdened with an unfavorable situation in the form of an outbreak with an increasing number of cases," Ismaila said.

He detailed the symptoms that include fever, severe headache, and stiff neck.

A total of 248 cases of meningitis were recorded, with 11 samples sent to the National Reference Laboratory in the capital Abuja. Two samples came back negative, while nine were still waiting.

Meningitis is tissue inflammation around the brain and spinal cord that can be caused by viral or bacterial infections. This disease spreads mainly through kissing, sneezing, coughing, and in a narrow place to live.

In response to the outbreak, the state government has distributed drugs to affected areas with isolation centers established with support from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Gwandu, Jega, and Aliero, three areas of the affected local government.

Similar to that, Sokoto's neighboring state has issued a health warning after confirmation of an outbreak.

Last year, Nigeria became the first country in the world to launch a new "revolutional" Men5C vaccine against meningitis, according to the World Health Organization.