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From: JUDEX OKORO, Calabar
There has been reported outbreak of cerebral meningitis in Cross River State government with one person confirmed dead.
Speaking to newsmen in Calabar, on Wednesday, shortly after visiting some victims at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong, said about twenty four cases have been reported with one confirmed dead.
Asibong said the ministry has put facilities and personnel in place to reduce the impact of the disease, adding that most of the victims have been treated and discharged from the hospital.
According to her, the death toll would have been heavier but for the prompt action of her ministry to contain its outbreak.
The commissioner, who did not give details about the dead, however said only about three people are currently undergoing treatment at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) just as the situation in the state is calm.
She said: “We have recorded one death but we have tried to ensure that the situation is contained that is why we have put in place facilities and personnel to ensure that as much as possible, we do not record more cases of death.”
“The ministry has started sensitizing the public on the dangers of meningitis in particular and other communicable diseases in general. Besides, the state government has given the ministry the needed support to contain the situation.
“We are fighting the outbreak of the disease with everything within our power to ensure that the disease is contained as soon as possible. We in the ministry are mobilizing to drastically reduce the Impact of the disease, so we are doing something about the situation,” the commissioner said.
She assured that those who are currently hospitalised would be discharged soon as they are responding to treatment.
