Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Deadly, rare Meningitis outbreak in SD
By TIMOTHY SIMELANE on June 25,2011
MBABANE ? An extremely deadly disease which damages the brain has been discovered in Swaziland and has since claimed the life of at least one person.
The Ministry of Heath?s Emergency Response Unit which deals with communicable diseases has warned that the disease called Meningococcal Meningitis is airborne and kills promptly after infection if no medical remedial action was taken. This is a rare type of meningitis.
Masitsela Mhlanga of the Unit said a 29-year old man from Mcuba area in the Hhohho region fell sick suddenly in March 2011 and was picked up through Ministry of Health Immediate Notification System 977.
He said the man had an excruciating headache and was taken to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, where he was put under tests and confirmed positive to Meningococcal Meningitis. Active investigations were commenced and all his relatives were then put under prophylaxis. "The patient was put on a broad spectrum antibiotic-ceftriaxone (IV) and also under naso-gastric feeding. He was later switched to ciprofloxasin, gentamycin and Metronidazole (IV). However, the patient was already in an advanced state of the disease and he didn?t respond to medication hence his passing on, on May 5, 2011," Mhlanga said.
Mhlanga said investigations were still being carried out to find out how the deceased contracted the disease.
While the common Meningitis disease, which was declared an outbreak last year, has claimed a number of victims in Swaziland, Meningococcal Meningitis has claimed only one. As a result, the Ministry of Health has already notified the World Health Organisation (WHO) about the existence of the disease in Swaziland.
Mhlanga said all who made contacts with the deceased had been monitored and given prophylaxis and they had gone past the stage of incubation.
He affirmed: "It is certain that these don?t have the disease."
He said the ministry had a contingency plan for the disease as a red alert statement was issued on February 2011.
"Disease guidelines and protocols have been developed, a Nation EMS service is oriented in case management of such infectious diseases, Port Health screening is undertook by the Ministry, Drugs and Supplies are in adequate amounts in health facilities, all suspected cases from Mcuba area in the northern Hhohho where it is suspected to have been the source of the infection were screened and given prophylaxis and robust health talk on the media was undertaken from February 2011 to date.
Mhlanga said the disease is preventable with the use of an injection vaccine. He said headache is just a sign of infection.
When asked about the safety risks of medical staff Mhlanga said: "Infection Prevention and Control programmes active in health facilities and health personnel adhere to guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures."
http://www.times.co.sz/News/29892.html
By TIMOTHY SIMELANE on June 25,2011
MBABANE ? An extremely deadly disease which damages the brain has been discovered in Swaziland and has since claimed the life of at least one person.
The Ministry of Heath?s Emergency Response Unit which deals with communicable diseases has warned that the disease called Meningococcal Meningitis is airborne and kills promptly after infection if no medical remedial action was taken. This is a rare type of meningitis.
Masitsela Mhlanga of the Unit said a 29-year old man from Mcuba area in the Hhohho region fell sick suddenly in March 2011 and was picked up through Ministry of Health Immediate Notification System 977.
He said the man had an excruciating headache and was taken to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, where he was put under tests and confirmed positive to Meningococcal Meningitis. Active investigations were commenced and all his relatives were then put under prophylaxis. "The patient was put on a broad spectrum antibiotic-ceftriaxone (IV) and also under naso-gastric feeding. He was later switched to ciprofloxasin, gentamycin and Metronidazole (IV). However, the patient was already in an advanced state of the disease and he didn?t respond to medication hence his passing on, on May 5, 2011," Mhlanga said.
Mhlanga said investigations were still being carried out to find out how the deceased contracted the disease.
While the common Meningitis disease, which was declared an outbreak last year, has claimed a number of victims in Swaziland, Meningococcal Meningitis has claimed only one. As a result, the Ministry of Health has already notified the World Health Organisation (WHO) about the existence of the disease in Swaziland.
Mhlanga said all who made contacts with the deceased had been monitored and given prophylaxis and they had gone past the stage of incubation.
He affirmed: "It is certain that these don?t have the disease."
He said the ministry had a contingency plan for the disease as a red alert statement was issued on February 2011.
"Disease guidelines and protocols have been developed, a Nation EMS service is oriented in case management of such infectious diseases, Port Health screening is undertook by the Ministry, Drugs and Supplies are in adequate amounts in health facilities, all suspected cases from Mcuba area in the northern Hhohho where it is suspected to have been the source of the infection were screened and given prophylaxis and robust health talk on the media was undertaken from February 2011 to date.
Mhlanga said the disease is preventable with the use of an injection vaccine. He said headache is just a sign of infection.
When asked about the safety risks of medical staff Mhlanga said: "Infection Prevention and Control programmes active in health facilities and health personnel adhere to guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures."
http://www.times.co.sz/News/29892.html