Meningitis sweeps Southern Sudan, and the spread is still on

Khartoum (Sudan) *”A meningitis outbreak that has swept through Southern Sudan since January has continued to spread, killing 172 people, the World Health Organization (WHO) said here Sunday.

“Last year, we had just under 5,000 cases but only in four states, now it has spread further into eight states already,” said Philippe Verstraeten, at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan.

“Nearly 1,800 cases of infection have been identified since the beginning of the year,” Verstraeten said.

Southern Sudan, after suffering decades of civil war, has little or no infra-structure and is particularly at risk to outbreaks of disease.

According to the WHO, meningitis is an infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Often transmitted by coughing or sneezing, it can cause complications including brain damage and deafness.

The government of Southern Sudan has requested over 800,000 doses of meningitis vaccine from the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision for Epidemic Meningitis Control.

Verstraeten said the vaccines would be used in the most heavily affected areas, including the Southern Sudanese capital of Juba, which has had 165 reported cases this year.”*

 

Published by Korir

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