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Ashanti, Ghana: 15 cases, 5 deaths of mystery disease - confirmed meningitis

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  • Ashanti, Ghana: 15 cases, 5 deaths of mystery disease - confirmed meningitis

    Hat-tip Pathfinder.



    French to English translation
    HEALTH
    A mysterious disease killed four people in Ghana
    ACCRA (Xinhua) - At least four people have died of a mysterious illness last week in the gold town of Obuasi in the Ashanti Region in the south-central Ghana, about 257 km northwest of Accra.

    Wednesday, August 3, 2011 | 0:36 UTC

    Fourteen cases of the disease have been reported so far and the survivors reported receiving medical care at the government hospital in the capital.

    Chief Administrative Officer of Health in the region, Dr. Akwasi Amankwah, said to reporters Tuesday that his team had not yet been able to determine exactly what the illness is or how it was said in New Nsuta Estates a first class residential area of ​​Obuasi.

    He did not exclude the possibility that the disease may have meningitis, had been spread by one of the patients who would have caught one way or another.

    Dr. Amankwah assured the residents of the municipality and surrounding his directorate would conduct additional tests to determine whether this is a cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM).

    "This does not mean that meningitis is a terrifying disease," he added.

    The Director of Health, however, said that if tests confirmed that this was the MCS team vaccinate everyone in the affected area.

    He called on all people with symptoms to present themselves to the hospital early enough to be treated.

    In total 1659 cases of MCS with 281 deaths were registered here in West Africa since the 1990s, 70% during the month of February 1997.

    The home erupted in the district of Mamprusi East and Bawku East before spreading to four other districts in the Upper West Region, about 740 km north of the capital.

    MCS Meningitis is an inflammation of protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively known as the meninges.

    This inflammation can be caused by an infection of viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms, and more rarely by some drugs.

    It can be fatal because of the proximity between inflammation and brain or spinal cord, which is why it is classified as a medical emergency.

    Its most common symptoms are headaches and stiffness of stroke associated with states of fever, confusion or altered consciousness, vomiting and inability to bear the light (photophobia) or loud noises (phonophobia).

    Sometimes, especially in young children, symptoms appear as unclear as states of irritability or fatigue.

  • #2
    Re: Ashanti, Ghana: 14 cases, 4 deaths of mystery disease - possible meningitis



    Obuasi Death Toll Now 5
    Source: Kwame Asare Boadu & Collins Agyekum Gyasi - Daily Graphic
    General News | 9 hours ago

    Laboratory analysis conducted by health authorities has confirmed that the strange disease which has so far claimed five lives at New Nsuta Estate, an Obuasi suburb, is cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM).

    According to Dr Akwasi Amankwa, Obuasi Municipal Director of Health, so far 15 cases of the disease had been reported out of which five people have died.

    In view of the increasing death toll, Dr Amankwa told the Daily Graphic that an immediate response to immunize residents in the community would be implemented to avert any possible calamity.

    In the interim a team from the Obuasi Municipal Health Directorate has visited the affected community to educate the people the disease and asked all with symptoms to report quickly to the hospital for treatment.

    Since July 29, 2011, the Anglogold Ashanti Hospital has received nine cases of the disease, recorded two deaths whilse the Obuasi Government Hospital and St Jude Hospital have recorded one death each.

    Health authorities confirmed on Tuesday that one more death had occurred, bringing the number of deaths to five.

    The deceased, a woman was said to have died at home.

    Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

    It can be caused by a number of infectious agents, including viruses and bacteria.

    The disease can produce mild symptoms such as headache, low-grade fever and tiredness lasting two to three days in some patients.

    In other patients, the symptoms can be severe and begin suddenly with fever, headache and stiff neck accompanied by some combination of other symptoms: decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to bright light, confusion and sleepiness.

    The Medical Services Manager of Anglogold Ashanti Hospital, Dr Asenso Barnie, advised the public not to panic over the situation but to ensure personal hygiene and avoid overcrowding.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Ashanti, Ghana: 15 cases, 5 deaths of mystery disease - confirmed meningitis



      CONFIRMED: CSM Breaks Out In Obuasi

      Date: 03-Aug-2011

      Health Minister, Joseph Yieleh Chireh

      The Obuasi Municipal Director of Health, Dr. Kwasi Amankwah, on Wednesday confirmed to Kwami Sefa Kayi on PeaceFM?s ?Kokrokoo? that the strain which had been recorded in New Nsuta, a suburb of Obuasi in the Ashanti Region was indeed Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis or CSM.

      Earlier investigations proved inconclusive on what strain of Meningitis had plagued the community which has so far infected fourteen (14) people with 5 deaths recorded.

      The casualties include two females and three males.

      Dr. Amankwah indicated that the disease takes several forms including ?Viral, Fungi and even Bacterial Meningitis?. According to him, bacteria is the most deadly.

      ??the meningitis disease which takes many forms is treatable, Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) which is an air-borne disease is most feared because it is easily transferrable, fatal and spreads at an extremely fast pace?For someone to survive depends on whether the person reports to the hospital early or not and how strong the immune system of the individual is. It?s a communicable disease and if we don?t take care more people will die. It?s an air borne disease so you get it through close contact?? he added.

      Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal membrane. The disease is caused by bacteria or a virus and can be deadly if not treated promptly.

      Symptoms are similar to the flu and include neck stiffness, headache, fever and vomiting.

      Last year, there were reports that CSM had broken out in northern Ghana, killing about 27 people out of the 54 cases that had been reported.

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