Doctors confirm first case similar to meningitis in Delta

Doctors in Central Hospital, Warri, Delta State, have confirmed a case with similar symptoms of the dreaded disease, cerebrospinal meningitis.

This is the first similar case to be recorded in the state since the outbreak of the pandemic some weeks ago in the country.

Some of the doctors made this known during a chat with journalists on Tuesday at the hospital premises in Warri.

They disclosed that they were attending to a female patient, whose identity was undisclosed, who had arrived the hospital with typical symptoms of meningitis.

A Consultant Physician at the hospital, Dr Ngozi Chukwubeni, said the patient had had no exposure to endangered meningitis belt of the country in recent time.

According to her, the patient had been taken through the appropriate examinations and laboratory tests and assured that the patient was responding to medication.

“We have a female patient. She came with classical symptoms of meningitis, headache, vomiting, neck pain and stiffness.

There was no history of recent travel to the meningitis belt, or exposure. We did a dumber puncture.

We made an assessment, clinical features and laboratory investigations when you are keeping with spinal meningitis.

“We placed her on antibiotics. The patient is doing very well,” Dr Chukwubeni noted.

On steps being taken to halt spread of the scourge, Chukwubeni said they were on top of the situation.

“There is 100 per cent synergy. We cannot work in isolation. We work with government. This case has been reported. Action plan will be taken at the state level.”

We on our own are taking necessary measures to prevent further occurrence and also protect our staff from getting infected by applying basic precautionary measures.

“We (Warri Central Hospital) are going to health educate our staff on Wednesday, on meningitis, on the clinical symptoms, how to identify a case, and necessary precautionary measures to be taken while nursing our patients.”

“We have nursed one and we did not have problems and subsequently we would not have problems,” she said.

Also talking to journalists, a consultant gynaecologist at the hospital, Dr Stanley Nnoli, advised parents to be vigilant with their children and wards.

According to him, handling of ailments hitherto treated as common should henceforth be taken seriously and proper medical attention sought when ailments like fever occurs and persists.

“When a child complains or you notice anything like fever, neck pain or stiffness in your child, don’t assume it is malaria. It might not be malaria.”

With this outbreak of meningitis everywhere now, it is not right for us to just go to chemist shop, go to a neighbour to say my baby has fever, please treat him for malaria.

“When a baby, or even an adult complains of neck pains or has contact with somebody that just came from the North, or anyone living in an enclosed environment where there is poor ventilation, poor hygiene or over crowded, there is need for caution and close contact with medical experts,” he admonished.