NCDC worries over new strain of Meningitis serogroup in Nigeria

NCDC worries over new strain of Meningitis serogroup in Nigeria

Nigeria is facing a worsening meningitis outbreak, with health experts warning that current vaccines do not fully protect against the dominant Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C strain spreading rapidly.

Children, aged one to 15, are most affected, while overcrowding and seasonal dry winds increase transmission risks, raising serious public health concerns across states in Northern Nigeria, which is within Africa’s meningitis belt.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, as saying that available vaccine strains did not fully match the circulating serogroup C strain.

According to him, although vaccination remained important, additional strategies were needed to effectively control ongoing outbreaks

Idris spoke on Tuesday in Abuja, during the 14th Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting on Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF)..

Meningitis remains a major public health concern in Nigeria, especially during the dry season, with northern states most affected, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and national surveillance data.

Idris said the outbreaks were largely driven by serogroup C, which had replaced serogroup A, while other strains such as W, X and Y, alongside bacterial causes, accounted for fewer reported cases.

He said Nigeria is currently in a high risk period for meningitis outbreaks, typically between December and April, when dry, dusty weather, overcrowding and poor ventilation significantly increase transmission rates.

The NCDC Director General said the agency had intensified surveillance and response nationwide, with laboratory testing being conducted at state level as efforts continue to strengthen national laboratory capacity, improve detection and confirmation of cases.

According to him, meningitis is a serious infection affecting membranes covering the brain and spinal cord,.

It spreads through respiratory droplets during close contact, particularly in crowded or poorly ventilated environments, and could progress rapidly and become fatal within hours if untreated,

According to him, early diagnosis and prompt antibiotic treatment significantly improves survival rate and reduce complications.

Idris urged Nigerians to seek immediate medical attention if they experienced symptoms such as sudden fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, seizures, or sensitivity to light.

He cautioned that fever and headache during the dry season should not always be assumed to be malaria, advising people to seek proper diagnosis to avoid delayed treatment and possible complications.

The NCDC Director General identified high risk groups as children, young adults, and people in overcrowded environments, urging people ensure ventilation and promptly report suspected cases to health authorities.

He also advised people to avoid overcrowded spaces, stay in ventilated environment, cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing and avoid sharing utensils.