Rising cases of meningitis reported in Garida and South Nyala in S. Darfur - Meningitis cases rise to 120 in W. Darfur

From SRS - Sudan Radio Service, Wednesday, 21 April 2010:

(Garida) – Rising cases of meningitis have been reported in Garida and South Nyala payams in Southern Darfur State.

Speaking to SRS from Garida payam on Tuesday, the Minister of Health in Southern Darfur state, Mohammed Haroun Ahmed, confirmed the cases.

[Mohammed Haroun Ahmed]: “Cases of meningitis had been discovered in Southern Darfur. In Nyala south we have discovered five cases. The Ministry of Health in the state in cooperation with other organizations such as UNICEF and WHO managed to vaccinate around 60 thousand citizens in South Nyala and at the moment things are under control. However we are still concerned about Garida because more cases have been discovered there. We are going to send a team there tomorrow to vaccinate the people there”

Northern Darfur State Minister of health, Khalid Ali Alfagiri told SRS that his ministry is adequately prepared to curb the break out state.

[Khalid Fagiri Arabic]: “We suspect that there could be some cases present in northern Darfur State. We have done some tests and we are yet to confirm when the results are out. For now, everything is under control. We have enough drugs that have been distributed all over and most of the hospitals are also ready just in case something happens”

Besides Northern and southern Darfur states, meningitis cases have also been reported in Al-Jazeera and Kasala regions.

Meningitis cases rise to 120 in West Darfur
From Radio Dabanga, Tuesday, 27 April 2010:

(El Geneina) - The number of meningitis cases in West Darfur has risen to 120, according to the health ministry. Jamal Ramadan, the state minister of health, told Radio Dabanga that there were 95 cases in El Geneina, the capital. He added that there is a campaign to combat the disease in all localities. People in the state have expressed fear of spread of the disease because of lack of health care.

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The Glass Test



Spots or a rash will still be seen when the side of a clear drinking glass is pressed firmly against the skin

A fever, together with spots or a rash that do not fade under pressure, is a medical emergency.

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges, the linings that surround and protect the brain. It can be caused by many different organisms including bacteria, viruses and fungi. Vaccines are the only way to prevent meningitis, and until we have vaccines to prevent all types you need to know the signs and symptoms to look out for and the action to take.

Septicaemia (blood poisoning) is caused when bacteria enter the bloodstream and multiply uncontrollably. Meningococcal bacteria can cause both meningitis and septicaemia. Together these are known as meningococcal disease.

Most cases of meningitis happen alone, but when there is a case of meningococcal disease, there is a small chance that further cases can happen. To reduce the risk of further cases people who have been in close contact may be offered antibiotics.

Photo and text courtesy of www.meningitis-trust.org
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Septicaemic rash on black skin

A septicaemic rash can be harder to see on dark skin, so check for spots over the whole body, especially on paler areas like palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, on the stomach, inside the eyelids (conjunctiva) and on the roof of the mouth (palate).

Source: www.meningitis.org/symptoms/young-people [Click into the link to see symptoms. Note, symptoms can appear in any order. Someone who feels really ill needs medical help even if they have no rash or a rash that fades. Not everyone gets all these symptoms. Septicaemia can occur with or without meningitis]