PANIC as meningitis kills 2 in Lagos, total death figure now 438

- Two residents of Lagos state have now been confirmed dead from meningitis currently spreading across the country

- While the Lagos state government has since commenced enlightenment, the federal government says vaccination is free

There has been panic in parts of Lagos since Friday, April 7 when a health report showed that two persons in the state had died following the spread of Type C cerebro spinal meningitis.

Three cases are said to have been recorded in the state. While two died, the third victim is being closely monitored.

This is as the death rate from the disease has risen from 336 to 438 according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

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So far, according to the centre, 19 states of the federation have been affected.

NAIJ.com reports that Zamfara state is the worst hit with over 200 deaths so far recorded.

Vanguard reports that the statistics from the NCDC also shows that the cases have risen from 2,997 to 3,959.

In a statement by the agency, Lawal Bakare, its spokesperson explained that the increase in number of cases was due to intensified case-finding going on in the affected states.

The agency said as at April 5, a total of 3,959 cases with 438 deaths had been reported with 181 laboratory confirmed cases.

“Meningitis outbreaks are currently reported in 19 states with five states mostly affected (Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and Sokoto in the North-West zone and Niger in the North-Central zone of Nigeria),” the statement said adding that to tackle the disease, a reactive vaccination campaign has commenced in Zamfara state, with massive turnout in all the targeted communities.

It was learnt that the Lagos state government has also commenced enlightenment campaigns to help people understand the disease and what to do when it is suspected.

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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari, had claimed that the disease is punishment from God for the sins committed by Nigerians.

The federal government has also warned that vaccination for the disease is free and that nobody should be forced to pray.

Watch this video of a Nigerian complaining about the state of the country: