Meningitis outbreak in North

CASES of meningitis have been reported in some villages in the Eengodi constituency of the Oshikoto Region.

One child has died already. As worries mounted yesterday about the disease spreading, health workers were dispatched to affected areas to alert villagers.At the same time, health officials have appealed for calm.Eengodi Regional Councillor Walde Sheyavali announced on the NBC’s Oshiwambo radio service yesterday morning that several cases of the disease had been reported at Onamakulikwa and Ohambala villages this week.Sheyavali said some villagers have been taken to the Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital for treatment.When approached yesterday afternoon, the Matron of the hospital, Monika Shilongo, confirmed to The Namibian that they were treating meningitis patients.”We have treated and are treating meningitis cases from Onamakulikwa, Ohambala, Onkumbula, Ohashipepe and Omakunde villages in Eengodi Constituency,” she said.She said a boy, Lukas Akapa from Omakunde village, died of the disease at the beginning of the month.Shilongo told The Namibian that health workers had been sent to affected villages to investigate the outbreak, immunise and inform villagers of the disease.The Superintendent of Onandjokwe Hospital, Dr Fillemon Amaambo, said late yesterday afternoon that he had scheduled a meeting with health workers to learn more about the outbreak.”I cannot comment more on this, you can come back later for more information,” he told The Namibian.The Director of Health in the Oshana Region, Dr Naftali Hamata, said two cases of meningitis had been reported in that region, but that there had been no fatalities so far.The Director of Health in Ohangwena Region, Erobeam Hamudaba, said no meningitis cases had been reported there yet.However, he noted that Eengodi was close to Ohangwena and that he was worried that the disease could spread.”We have to take preventive measures, and to alert our people about this disease,” he said.In the Omusati Region, Director of Health Sackarias Taapopi also said that no cases had been reported.Dr Hamata appealed for calm, saying that people shouldn’t panic because measures can be taken to prevent the disease from spreading further.Asked about the possibility of an immunisation campaign for the northern regions, Dr Hamata said it was too early to plan that yet.”We first have to determine whether it is a virus or bacteria causing this form of meningitis before we can start immunising,” he said.The Namibian could not get hold of the Director of Health in Oshikoto Region, Maria Kavezimbi, at the time of going to press.Facts* Some of the symptoms of meningitis include neck stiffness, headache, vomiting, fever, drowsiness, discomfort when looking into bright lights, confusion, sleepiness and loss of appetite.* The symptoms develop rapidly over several hours, or they may take one to two days before causing serious neurological damage, coma and death.* Meningitis is spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (such as coughing or kissing).* Some people who are infected with the bacteria do not necessarily become ill but may become carriers of the virus.* Unless treated, half of those infected will die.Even with treatment, as many as 10 per cent of patients do not survive.And those who survive can be left with serious mental damage or deafness.* It has its greatest impact on children.* The outbreak is usually severe in schools, army barracks and other overcrowded areas such as compounds and informal settlements.As worries mounted yesterday about the disease spreading, health workers were dispatched to affected areas to alert villagers.At the same time, health officials have appealed for calm.Eengodi Regional Councillor Walde Sheyavali announced on the NBC’s Oshiwambo radio service yesterday morning that several cases of the disease had been reported at Onamakulikwa and Ohambala villages this week.Sheyavali said some villagers have been taken to the Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital for treatment.When approached yesterday afternoon, the Matron of the hospital, Monika Shilongo, confirmed to The Namibian that they were treating meningitis patients.”We have treated and are treating meningitis cases from Onamakulikwa, Ohambala, Onkumbula, Ohashipepe and Omakunde villages in Eengodi Constituency,” she said.She said a boy, Lukas Akapa from Omakunde village, died of the disease at the beginning of the month.Shilongo told The Namibian that health workers had been sent to affected villages to investigate the outbreak, immunise and inform villagers of the disease.The Superintendent of Onandjokwe Hospital, Dr Fillemon Amaambo, said late yesterday afternoon that he had scheduled a meeting with health workers to learn more about the outbreak.”I cannot comment more on this, you can come back later for more information,” he told The Namibian.The Director of Health in the Oshana Region, Dr Naftali Hamata, said two cases of meningitis had been reported in that region, but that there had been no fatalities so far.The Director of Health in Ohangwena Region, Erobeam Hamudaba, said no meningitis cases had been reported there yet.However, he noted that Eengodi was close to Ohangwena and that he was worried that the disease could spread.”We have to take preventive measures, and to alert our people about this disease,” he said.In the Omusati Region, Director of Health Sackarias Taapopi also said that no cases had been reported.Dr Hamata appealed for calm, saying that people shouldn’t panic because measures can be taken to prevent the disease from spreading further.Asked about the possibility of an immunisation campaign for the northern regions, Dr Hamata said it was too early to plan that yet.”We first have to determine whether it is a virus or bacteria causing this form of meningitis before we can start immunising,” he said.The Namibian could not get hold of the Director of Health in Oshikoto Region, Maria Kavezimbi, at the time of going to press.Facts * Some of the symptoms of meningitis include neck stiffness, headache, vomiting, fever, drowsiness, discomfort when looking into bright lights, confusion, sleepiness and loss of appetite.* The symptoms develop rapidly over several hours, or they may take one to two days before causing serious neurological damage, coma and death.* Meningitis is spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (such as coughing or kissing).* Some people who are infected with the bacteria do not necessarily become ill but may become carriers of the virus.* Unless treated, half of those infected will die.Even with treatment, as many as 10 per cent of patients do not survive.And those who survive can be left with serious mental damage or deafness.* It has its greatest impact on children.* The outbreak is usually severe in schools, army barracks and other overcrowded areas such as compounds and informal settlements.