The Greater Accra Region has now recorded four new suspected cases of meningitis, a day after officials reported of just one case of a new strain known as meningococcal meningitis at the Ridge Hospital.
According to the acting Medical Director of the Ridge Hospital, Dr. Emmanuel Srofenyo, although the hospital is awaiting laboratory test results, the individuals are currently responding to treatment.
[contextly_sidebar id=”3QrnDKQSqWW6zUCmx7Jvx8mnLHEyMDR9″]About 40 deaths have so far been recorded following the outbreak of meningitis in several parts of the country.
Dr. Emmanuel Srofenyo however told Citi News there is no cause for alarm of a further spread in the Greater Accra Region.
“Currently we have received four suspected additional cases. Their samples have been sent to the lab and we are currently awaiting results. However, we have already commenced treatment and they seem to be responding well to treatment.”
“And again as far as these additional patients are concerned, there is no cause for alarm even though there is cause for concern because initially we received only one and four additional cases have been transferred to the Ridge Hospital.”
Meanwhile the Vice Chancellor of University of Allied Sciences, Prof. Fred Binka has told Citi FM the disease is now an epidemic.
He made this known while sharing his thoughts on the outbreak on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue on Saturday.
“Pneumococcal Meningitis is an epidemic and should be treated as such . An epidemic is an increase in the number of cases that we saw last year compared to this year .If you stated that 7 people have died from Streptococcus Meningitis this year, we did not record that same number last year…in epidemiology if there is an increase then we have an epidemic.”
Meningitis is a serious disease in which there is inflammation of the meninges, caused by viral or bacterial infection, and marked by intense headache and fever, sensitivity to light, and muscular rigidity.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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