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Published Date: 2012-02-21 15:20:55
Subject: PRO/EAFR> Meningitis, meningococcal - South Sudan: susp.
Archive Number: 20120221.243825

MENINGITIS, MENINGOCOCCAL - SOUTH SUDAN: SUSPECTED
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Date: Sat 18 Feb 2012
Source: Africa Review [edited]
http://www.africareview.com/News/South+Sudan+on+meningitis+alert/-/979180/1330034/-/13kvpsh/-/ South Sudan and its health partners are on high alert over a possible outbreak of meningitis in the infant country. The country lies on the meningitis belt that stretches across Africa from Senegal in the West to Ethiopia in the east, putting it at high risk of an outbreak in this dry season. According to experts, meningitis breaks out in the belt every 4 to 5 years. "In the past 6 weeks of 2012, so far 24 suspected meningitis cases have been reported throughout South Sudan. Those were captured through weekly surveillance reports," Dr Lul Riek, the director general for Community and Public Health said in a press statement on Saturday [18 Feb 2012]. Dr Lul said 20 of the suspected cases were from the capital city Juba and the neighbouring Yei County, both in Central Equatoria state. The last outbreak of meningitis was in 2008, causing health partners, particularly the World Health Organisation to fear that there could be an outbreak this dry season. However, Dr Lul said tests conducted at a Nairobi [Kenya] hospital did not confirm the epidemic. "A total of 5 specimens of the cerebral spinal fluid were collected and sent to AMREF [African Medical Research Foundation] reference laboratory, all of them tested negative for a bacterium that causes meningitis," he said. "[But] We are very prepared, waiting to respond in case of any outbreak of meningitis," he said. [Byline: Machel Amos] -- Communicated by: ProMED-EAFR <promed-eafr@promedmail.org> [South Sudan is on high alert for a possible meningococcal meningitis outbreak after several suspect cases were investigated but turned out to be negative. This alert phase requires that surveillance be stepped up so that all suspected cases are detected, investigated, and promptly started on treatment. Additionally, this is the time for the country to be sure that there is adequate capacity to manage the cases, as well as stockpiles of drugs like oily chloramphenicol, and ceftriaxone. Maps of the Republic of South Sudan can be seen at http://healthmap.org/r/1Oyp and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sudan#States_and_counties. A map showing the countries in the African meningitis belt can be seen at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/images/2010-map-2-6.jpg. - Mod.JFW]

See Also


Meningitis, meningococcal - Cote d'Ivoire: RFI 20120206.242511
2011
----
Meningitis, meningococcal - Ghana (02): (Ashanti) RFI 20110806.226734
Meningitis, meningococcal - Ghana: (Upper West) 20110314.219740
Meningitis, meningococcal - Chad: WHO 20110309.219531
Meningitis, meningococcal - Nigeria: (Adamawa), fatal, susp. 20110308.219441
Meningitis, viral - South Africa: (Mpumalanga) 20110225.218870
2010
----
Meningitis, meningococcal - Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso: new vaccine
20101015.214175
Meningitis, meningococcal - South Africa: (Gauteng), susp. 20100530.207705
Undiagnosed illness - Uganda (2): (Bugiri) Meningitis susp., RFI
20100429.207048
Meningitis, meningococcal - Burkina Faso: Serogroup X 20100426.206955
Meningitis, meningococcal - Nigeria (03) 20100325.206360
Meningitis, meningococcal - Nigeria (02): (Sokoto) 20100307.205994
Meningitis, meningococcal - Nigeria: (Bauchi, Jigawa) 20100307.205983
Meningitis, meningococcal - Africa: meningitis belt 20100224.205725
Meningitis, meningococcal - Uganda (02): (West Nile) 20100224.205720
Meningitis, meningococcal - Uganda: (West Nile) 20100217.205572
2009
----
Meningitis, meningococcal - Congo DR: (Orientale) 20091209.204177
Meningitis, meningococcal - Thailand ex S Africa (Johannesburg) 20090921.202449
Meningitis, meningococcal - Ethiopia (Amhara Reg.): RFI 20090731.200983]
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