Ghana: Meningitis outbreak kills 9

9 people are reported to have died in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana, following an outbreak of pneumococccal meningitis.

30 people have also been hospitalized but are responding to treatment, the district health directorate has said.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord.

“The symptoms are just like Cerebro Spinal Meningitis,CSM, but let me put on record that it is not CSM,” Dr Michael Rockson Adjei, the district health director for Tain said.

The health Ministry has allayed fears saying, for about two weeks, no new case has been recorded. However they have called on infected persons to report quickly to health facilities for treatment.

“All things being equal, by close of next two weeks, we should be able to overcome the epidemic,” Dr Adjei added.

The outbreak was reported late december 2015.

Yellow Fever

Meanwhile, 3 people are reported to have died from a yellow fever outbreak in West Gonja district of the Northern Region.

In a statement, the Health Ministry advised the public from travelling to the affected areas.

“We are also making sure that the needed resources are supplied,” the public relations spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said.

Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The disease comes with fever, jaundice, muscle pain with prominent backache, and headache.

According to the WHO, the yellow in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some patients.

Up to 50 per cent of severely affected persons will die without treatment. An estimated 200,000 cases of yellow fever are recorded annually worldwide with 30,000 deaths. 90 per cent of the cases are in Africa.