Meningitis outbreak worsens in northern Nigeria – NCDC

Nigeria is facing a worsening meningitis outbreak in northern states, 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 northern states within Africa’s meningitis belt.

Dr Jide Idris, Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the 14th Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting on Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).

He expressed concern that available vaccine strains did not fully match the circulating serogroup C strain, noting that although vaccination remained important, additional strategies were needed to effectively control ongoing outbreaks.

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

Idris said 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 was currently in a high risk period for meningitis outbreaks, typically between December and April, when dry, dusty weather, overcrowding and poor ventilation significantly increased transmission rates.

Idris said the agency had intensified surveillance and response nationwide, with laboratory testing conducted at state level while efforts continued to strengthen national laboratory capacity and improved detection and confirmation of cases.

According to him, meningitis is a serious infection affecting membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, spreading through respiratory droplets during close contact, particularly in crowded or poorly ventilated environments.

He warned the disease could progress rapidly and become fatal within hours if untreated, stressing that early diagnosis and prompt antibiotic treatment significantly improved survival rates and reduced 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.

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

To reduce transmission, he advised avoiding overcrowded spaces, maintaining ventilation, covering mouth when coughing or sneezing, and avoiding sharing utensils, while encouraging participation in vaccination campaigns.