The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported 4,915 suspected cases of cerebrospinal meningitis across 24 states for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The outbreak has resulted in 361 deaths, representing a case fatality rate of 7.3%.

Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of the NCDC, provided these figures during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. He revealed that 859 samples were collected from suspected cases, with 378 confirmed, indicating a 44 percent positivity rate. The predominant strain identified is Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C, responsible for 90 percent of cases. Other identified strains include Haemophilus influenzae type b (6%), Spn (3%), and NmX and NmW (1% each).

The most affected age group is between five and 15 years old, and 60 percent of the suspected cases are male. The states with the highest number of cases are Yobe (3,014), Bauchi (517), Jigawa (389), Katsina (352), and Gombe (316), collectively accounting for 93 percent of the reported cases.

Dr. Idris noted a significant increase in cases this season, with a 157 percent rise compared to the 2022/2023 season, which recorded 1,914 cases. This marks a notable surge in meningitis cases in 2024 compared to the previous four years.