Six people have so far died from other kinds of meningitis in the Ashanti Region, the Regional Health Directorate has revealed. According to them, they received reports of such cases but after critical examination, 9 tested positive whiles 8 tested negative.
The directorate added that out of the 9 positive cases, six persons lost their lives while three have been treated and discharged from the hospital, but maintained that the disease is not linked to the deadly pneumococcal meningitis recorded in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Some of the areas that reported the meningitis include, Ahafo Ano South, Offinso municipal, Offinso north, Ejisu Juaben municipality, Adansi North, Afigya Kwabre, Ejura Sekodumasi, Adansi South and Kumasi.
The Ashanti Regional Health Director, Dr. Alexis Nang Beifugbah, while addressing the press today [Wednesday], however said the disease in the Ashanti Region, is not an outbreak and that it is under control.
He advised that people avoid crowded places and also take in much fluids during the period.
“It is not an outbreak because the total number that we’ve seen they are few in the districts. There are many districts that did not even report any.
Out of that, only three of them belong to the group that caused the outbreak in the Brong Ahafo Region. The rest belong to another group.
They are two different types of bacteria. We are on the lookout and we are watching closely and we will inform you when the need arises.
People should drink a lot of water and avoid overcrowding,” he added. The Ministry of Health had earlier allayed fears that the deadly pneumococcal meningitis has spread to the Ashanti Region.
Reports of the outbreak in the Offinso municipality caused fear and panic in the country but the Deputy Director and Head of Surveillances at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Franklin Aseidu-Bekoe at a media briefing said “I want to state that currently there is no outbreak of pneumococcal meningitis in the Ashanti Region.”
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