The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has deployed a rapid response team to Kebbi, Sokoto, and Katsina states to support efforts in curtailing the spread of the Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) outbreak. This deployment follows reports of numerous suspected cases from these states.
Prior to the deployment, NCDC has received a report of 807 suspected cases and 74 deaths with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 9.2 per cent from the twenty-two (22) states, which include Kebbi, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Ebonyi, Oyo, Bauchi, Ondo, Kaduna, Osun, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Ekiti, Niger, Plateau, FCT, and Sokoto.
Notably, Katsina, Kebbi & Sokoto states have reported particularly high numbers of suspected cases, deaths, high CFR, and low sample collection rates.
The Director General of NCDC, DDrJide Idris, stated that the initial deployment is for 14 days. He urged all members of the response team to prioritize personnel safety by strictly adhering to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures throughout the course of their duties.
The response team, which is multisectoral and interdisciplinary, comprises experts from various fields. They have since arrived in all three states and are actively working alongside state health authorities to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.
The deployment of the NCDC Rapid Response Team is aimed to achieve the following objectives: to describe the outbreak; conduct an environmental assessment; conduct a case-control study (where applicable); determine the source of the outbreak; provide or recommend public health action to control the outbreak and debrief the state and NCDC at the end of the deployment.
Signed
Sani Datti
Head Corporate Communication
27th March 2025
