Pneumococcal meningitis kills boy, 17 in Eastern Region –

Authorities of the Ghana Health Service in the Eastern Region, have confirmed to Citi News the death of a 17-year-old boy, killed by the fast spreading the Pneumococcal meningitis disease.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Director of the service, Dr. Boateng Antobreh, confirmed this on Eyewitness News on Thursday.
According to him, the deceased, who was in primary six, was rushed to the hospital on January 22, 2016, but died few hours later.

“I wish to say that we have confirmed one case of Pneumococcal meningitis in a 17 year-old boy on 22 January. He was seen at the facility at 5:27am and he died two hours later. I’m told that he complained on Thursday night of headache and severe neck pains and they brought him to the hospital early that morning, treatment was started but he couldn’t survive.”
About five regions have so far recorded some cases of the meningitis disease which has claimed 37 lives after it was first reported in the Brong Ahafo Region few weeks ago.
According Dr. Antobreh, the new development in the Eastern Region cannot be linked to the outbreak in other regions because the deceased in question had not traveled outside the region before his demise.

The Deputy Health Director said although the new development in the Eastern Region is not surprising “our worry is the strain that we are seeing presently.”
3 new cases reported in Eastern Region
Dr. Antobreh says three new suspected cases have also been reported in the region today [ Thursday], adding that they are currently investigating it.
“This morning, I instructed my district directors to report all suspected cases. As at now, we have three suspected cases today [Thursday] from Nkawkaw, the test has not been confirmed yet.”