Nigeria Records 1,858 Cases, 156 Deaths In 23 States

The Nigeria Centre for Illness Management and Prevention (NCDC) has recorded 1,858 suspected circumstances of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) and 156 related deaths because the starting of the present meningitis season.

NCDC’s Cerebrospinal Meningitis Report, posted on its web site on Sunday, disclosed that 10 states had been bearing the brunt of the outbreak, accounting for 94 per cent of all suspected circumstances.The States embody Kebbi (881), Sokoto (303), Katsina (158), Jigawa (147), Yobe (109), Gombe (47), Borno (36), Adamawa (27), Bauchi (66), and Oyo (23).

In line with the report, 17 native authorities areas throughout 9 states have every reported greater than ten suspected circumstances. Among the worst-hit LGAs embody Gwandu (313 circumstances), Tambuwal (155), and Aliero (143), all in Kebbi and Sokoto states.

Throughout the latest reporting week (Epidemiological Week 12: March 17–23), 315 new suspected circumstances had been reported from Kebbi, Sokoto, and Yobe states. Of those, 38 circumstances had been confirmed, 23 NmC, 14 NmW, and one case of Streptococcus pneumoniae, whereas 14 deaths had been recorded, bringing the weekly CFR to 4.4 per cent.

The report confirmed that 60 new samples had been collected from 9 states throughout the identical interval. 4 LGAs—Gwandu, Aliero, Jega, and Tambuwal—have crossed the epidemic threshold.

Regardless of the rising loss of life toll, NCDC famous a 65 per cent lower in reported circumstances in week 12 (315) in comparison with the earlier week (418), suggesting a possible downward pattern. Nonetheless, nationwide multi-sectoral emergency operations centres proceed to observe the scenario carefully.

To this point, 23 states have reported suspected CSM circumstances because the begin of the season (Epi Week 40 in 2024 to Epi Week 12 in 2025), together with Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Ekiti, the FCT, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, and Yobe.