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*Also 23,000 Diphtheria Cases In Nigeria
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has revealed that about 151 deaths have resulted from meningitis in the country.
It also disclosed that 1,826 suspected cases of meningitis, having a case fatality rate (CFR) of 8.3 percent, were experienced in 23 states.
The crisis, it however noted, is most severe in 10 states, with Kebbi and Sokoto being the topmost, accounting for 94 percent of suspected cases.
These were contained in the Epidemiological Week 12 Report, covering the period from March 17 to March 23, 2025, released by the NCDC on Sunday.
The report noted that the latest developments have been exerting great pressure on public health resources, mostly in the northern part of the country.
A total of 289 samples, according to the report, were collected from suspected cases, with 126 confirmed positive, which resulted in a 44 percent positivity rate.
It disclosed that the confirmed cases had the most prevalent strain of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C (NmC), which accounted for 27 percent of cases, followed by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W (NmW), accounting for 13.5 percent.
The report also showed that the outbreak predominantly affected children, with the 5 years to 14 years old group comprising the highest proportion of both suspected and confirmed cases.
It also revealed that there is a significant gender disparity, with 60 percent of total suspected cases reported in male.
Further breakdown showed that
Gwandu LGA in Kebbi has reported the highest number of cases, with 313 suspected cases, followed by Tambuwal LGA in Sokoto with 155 cases.
To tackle the rising cases, the NCDC has intensified surveillance, sample collection, and public awareness campaigns.
It also prioritised the efforts to provide vaccinations and other interventions in the high-risk states, in order to check the spread of the disease and stop death.