The total number of people who have died from the Pneumococcal Meningitis has risen to 27 from 22.
The outbreak started last year in the Tain District of the Brong Ahafo Region but spread to Wenchi, Techiman, Bruohan, Kintampo, and Sene districts in the same region.
Bole in the Northern Region has also recorded some cases.
The Deputy Health Minister Dr Victor Bampoe three days ago, told Citi News the total number of people affected was about 55.
However, new figures show that the number has gone up to 92 across 6 districts in the country.
The Head of the Disease Surveillance Department of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Badu Sarkodie told Citi News that “we have recorded new cases including 27 deaths.”
He said the ministry of health is collaborating with the Ghana Health Service including other agencies to contain the situation adding that surveillance has also been boosted in the region.
“We have heightened surveillance and all the regions and districts have received alerts to be on high surveillance alert. We are conducting public education in particularly the areas affected. We have oriented and sensitized the staff regarding the case management team to manage this adequately so that the best of care will be given to the people that will be affected.”
Dr. Sarkodie said they are considering the use of vaccince to fight the disease saying “we are working with the World Health Organisation and other agencies to ensure that should it be necessary to use the vaccines, to what extent to vaccinate the whole community and then the criteria to use to get the vaccine.”
Residents oblivious
Earlier this week, Citi News’ Brong Ahafo Regional correspondent reported that scores of people in the affected areas are still oblivious about the outbreak.
The Deputy Director General of the Ghana health service, Dr Gloria Asare told Citi News there are plans to intensify the education campaign to reach more people.
“We’ve just sent some proposals for some money to do this general education. Right now it is in some parts of Brong Ahafo. In those places there is community mobilization. We will look at also educating the rest of the country. We urge that lets take the immunization of the young children seriously, at least we will protect them. Let’s also avoid overcrowding and lets report quickly if we have any fever with headache and stiffness of the neck.”
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana