Olumide Lawal
The Plateau State Government has disclosed that the State had confirmed three cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Kunden Deyin in Jos, said that the three cases manifested clinical symptoms of the disease and laboratory tests confirmed them to be cerebrospinal meningitis.
According to him, though, the tests were yet to ascertain whether the cases were type “A” or “C” but, the state last administered vaccines for CSM type “A” in 2013.
He said the vaccine was expected to last for 10 years in the individual’s system.
The commissioner said that the first suspected cases, reported from Lantang South and Mikang Local Government Areas, turned out to be false after laboratory tests.
According to him, for a state to qualify for the type “C” vaccines, it must have recorded three confirmed cases of the disease.
“It means that Plateau has qualified, but accessing the vaccines for type “C” is very difficult; currently the vaccines available worldwide are five million doses,” he said.
He said that the state was working toward curtailing the spread of the disease, and identified its major symptoms to include severe headaches, fever and neck stiffness.
The other symptoms include altered consciousness, vomiting and photophobia (fear of light), while convulsions could manifest in children.
The official urged Plateau residents to be vigilant and to report any of such symptoms to the nearest health facility.
He also advised people to avoid overcrowded places and to ensure that their bedrooms were well ventilated.
