Pneumococcal meningitis death toll rises to nine
One more person has died from the outbreak of pneumococcal meningitis in the Tain area of Brong Ahafo, bringing the total death toll to nine in two weeks.
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Eight people were earlier reported to have died following the outbreak of the disease.
A total of 30 people have since been hospitalised in the area after being infected with the deadly disease.
According to the Tain District Health Director, Dr Michael Rockson Adjei, the victims were responding to treatment.
He said the situation was under control and no new cases have been recorded in over 16 hours except that there was a lot of panic in the area.
“We are managing the panic situation now,” he said
Pneumococcal meningitis is an infection that causes swelling and irritation (inflammation) of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges).
"The symptoms are just like Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) but let me put on record that it is not CSM,” Dr Adjei said.
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CSM is most often caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitides. Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the thin covering of the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms of the disease include stiff neck, high fever, rash, headache, vomiting, and confusion.
According to the Tain District Health Director, there are certain factors that may give rise for the bacteria to spread from one person to another, usually it causes ear infection, throat infection, and pneumonia," he added.
Dr Adjei added that the outbreak started around December 24, 2015 and called on infected persons to report quickly for treatment.
"All things being equal, by close of next two weeks, we should be able to overcome the epidemic," he said