Published Date: 2005-05-08 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Meningococcal disease - India (New Delhi)(02)
Archive Number: 20050508.1269
MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE - INDIA (NEW DELHI) (02)
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[1]
Date: Sun 8 May 2005
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: XinHuaNet
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-05/08/content_2930972.htm>
Meningitis cases in New Delhi reach 174
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Indo-Asian News Service reported that J.N. Banvaliker, director of hospital
administration, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said "We are happy with
the fact that there have been no addition[s] to the number of deaths since
Fri 6 May 2005. However, the number of patients has gone up to 174, with 33
more cases being reported till Sunday forenoon,"
The worst meningitis outbreak in the Indian capital in 2 decades has killed
15 people since it was 1st reported to the authorities on 22 Apr 2005 by
Hindu Rao Hospital. So far, 43 people have been discharged after treatment,
the authorities said. Of the 174 cases, 8 were visitors from Uttar Pradesh,
Biharand Rajasthan. In the capital, most of the cases were from crowded Old
Delhi and East Delhi areas. The last major outbreak of meningitis in India
was in 1985, when 6000 cases and 800 deaths were reported across the
country. There was another deadly strike in 1964-65.
"We are trying to find out the reason for the cyclic severity in
meningitis outbreak[s] every 20 years. In normal years, there were a
few stray cases of meningitis," Banvaliker said. "The Municipal
Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has directed that meningitis patients be
kept in isolated wards. Failing which, strict punishment will be
taken against hospital authorities." However, some hospitals have
informed the administration that they lack enough beds to have
isolated wards.
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[2]
Date: Sat 7 May 2005
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: ExpressIndia [edited]
<http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=128280>
Sale of meningitis vaccine increases in city markets
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Highly infectious meningitis, which has claimed a few lives in Delhi,
has sent a wave of fear through city residents, who are lining up to
buy vaccine. The sale of meningitis vaccine, Pumococal 23 [as spelled
in the post - Mod.LL] has surged in the market.
"In the last 5 to 7 days, we have had many customers pouring in for
this vaccine. The vaccine, which is also a part of the vaccination
program for children, is now being administered to the adults also,"
said the owner of Ganesh Medical Hall, near Dayanand Medical
Hospital, Sharad Sharma. He said the demand for vaccine, priced at
INR 890 [USD 20], has suddenly increased. "In fact, at some retail
shops, the vaccine is no [longer] available," he said.
[Byline: Megha Mohan]
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[The vaccine mentioned is not one that is active against typical
epidemic (meningococcal) meningitis but rather is directed against
pneumococcal infection, which is not generally epidemic as reported
here. - Mod.LL]
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[3]
Date: Sat 7 May 2005
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: ExpressIndia [edited]
<http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=128247>
2 cases of suspected meningitis from areas near Chandigarh were
reported on Sat 7 May 2005.
One patient is a 50-year-old man from Chandimandir who had reported
to GMCH with fever a few days ago. Dr. Atul Sachdev, head of Internal
Medicine at GMCH, said the patient had no contact with Delhi. "Though
the test result is [still] awaited, there is a strong suspicion that he
suffers from meningitis," he added.
In addition, the tri-city's 1st suspected meningitis case was
reported from a house which is under construction in Sector 69
Mohali. The patient, an 11-year-old, has been kept in isolation in
the emergency room of PGI's Advanced Pediatric Center (APC).
After getting information, Head of PG's Community Medicine Department
Prof. Rajesh Kumar rushed a 2-member team to the house. PGI has also
given preventive medicines to the family.
Ropar Civil Surgeon Dr. Harinder Rana also rushed in a team of
doctors, which surveyed about 100 houses in the area. "No other case
was found," she said. Another survey would be carried out on Sun 8
May 2005.
Prof. Kumar added that PGI had gotten a patient from Delhi on 6 May
2005 who is on his way to recovery. It has also gotten a case of
suspected meningitis from Himachal Pradesh. The 2-year-old patient
has been admitted to the APC.
[Byline: Sourav Sanyal]
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[None of these cases have been identified as being meningococcal in
origin. Chandigarh is the capital of the States of Punjab and Haryana
but does not belong to either of them. Instead, it is a Union
Territory, which is a city under the direct administration of the
Government of India and not constituted as a state with its own
legislative assembly. A Union Territory in India is something like
the District of Columbia in the USA. - Mod.LL]
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[4]
Date: Sat 7 May 2005
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: ExpressIndia [edited]
<http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=128201>
Cases mount, government to look at [case] definition
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30 more suspected cases of meningococcemia have added to 6 May 2005's
toll of 111, taking the cumulative total to 141. While the death toll
remained steady at 15 with no new deaths today [Sat 7 May 2005],
there were unconfirmed reports of a death at a private hospital.
Health authorities, however, claim the disease is under control, as
the cases are suspected and not all of them are confirmed
meningococcal meningitis.
In the present scenario, Union Health Ministry and the NICD are
looking at revising the "case definition." The one page definition
has been adapted from the WHO and is for use by clinics and doctors.
"It is not for the common people but for those involved in
treatment," said an NICD official. According to sources, NICD has
sent the revised definition to the Health Ministry and will soon be
communicated to the Delhi government.
Confirming that there have been doubts over reporting of cases, P.K.
Hota, Union Health Secretary said, "We have issued a protocol so that
cases are properly classified. We want to ensure that there is no
over-reporting or under-reporting. We have to periodically evaluate
the situation. We won't gain anything from under-reporting, as we
have to go to each household and vaccinate families. Over-reporting
on the other hand, will be wastage of energy and resources."
According to NICD officials, not all samples sent to their
laboratories have tested positive for _Neisseria meningitidis_, the
causative bacteria. Out of the 36 samples received by the institute
since 29 Apr 2005, only 6 have shown the presence of the bacteria.
The rest have shown other forms of bacteria that cause a different,
much less dangerous form of meningitis.
[Byline: Toufiq Rashid]
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[If 30 of 36 cases are identified as having other causes, such as
_Streptococcus pneumoniae_, _Haemophilus influenzae_ or _Listeria
monocytogenes_, the size of the outbreak of meningococcal disease
might be questioned. Further information regarding the number of
confirmed meningococcal disease cases is needed as is confirmation of
the serotype, which was reported as type A in the initial posting. -
Mod.LL]
See Also
Meningococcal disease - India (New Delhi) 20050506.1256Meningococcal disease update 2005 (07) 20050407.1001
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (06) 20050325.0868
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (05) 20050323.0838
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (04) 20050215.0510
Meningococcal disease, type C - China (Multi-province) 20050201.0344
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (03) 20050128.0309
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (02) 20050119.0181
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (01) 20050112.0108
2004
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Meningococcal disease update 2004 (05) 20041129.3189
Meningococcal disease update 2004 (04) 20040412.0997
Meningococcal disease update 2004 (03) 20040329.0857
Meningococcal disease update 2004 (02) 20040319.0771
Meningococcal disease update 2004 (01) 20040317.0740
1996
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Meningococcal disease - Asia (2) 19960430.0836
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