AFRICA/NIGERIA - Meningitis kills 10% of people infected 48 hours after first signs of symptoms

Kano (Agenzia Fides) – According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), as of March 24, 156 people have died of meningitis (of 1500 infected) in Nigeria. A third of the deaths were recorded in the northeast, which includes the states of Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe, Borno, and Taraba. During the same period last year, infections were nine times higher, with 13,298 cases. In sub-Saharan Africa, the disease spreads mainly during the dry months from December to June, through the secretions of the nose and throat. To avoid overcrowding in homes, most families sleep on verandas, on balconies and in some cases men are sleeping in front of their homes. According to estimates by the World Health Organization, as of March 15, the most affected countries in the region were Burkina Faso, with 2,520 confirmed cases and 328 deaths, and Chad, with 1,282 cases and 130 deaths. Six districts of Burkina Faso and five in Chad were in an epidemic phase, with at least 10 out of 10,000 people infected. Even if diagnosed and treated in time, meningitis kills 10% of those infected, usually within 48 hours after the onset of symptoms. The peak of infection in West Africa is generally seen in April. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 29/3/2010)