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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
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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
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Meningitis, meningococcal - Congo DR: (Orientale) 20091209.204177
Meningitis, meningococcal - Thailand ex S Africa (Johannesburg) 20090921.202449
Meningitis, meningococcal - Ethiopia (Amhara Reg.): RFI 20090731.200983]
...................................jfw/mj/be