Description of the situation
30 July 1996
Disease Outbreak Reported
Cases of meningitis have been reported in the provinces of Moxico, Lunda Norte and Cuanza Norte. The reporting system is not sufficiently well established to permit an evaluation of the true extent of the outbreak but at least 26 cases have been registered in Lumege and Luena in the province of Moxico since the beginning of July. About ten cases per day with a very high case fatality rate (90%) have been reported in Cuanza Norte. A confirmed case has also been reported in Luanda and unconfirmed cases in the province of Huila, Lubango and Namibie. UNICEF together with Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) have administered 20 000 doses of vaccine in Lumege and surrounding areas and the campaign is continuing. The national supply of vaccine supplemented by donations from UNICEF and MSF amounts to nearly 40 000 doses but to meet the high risk of further spread the Ministry of Health is appealing for an additional 100 000 doses of vaccine, oily chloramphenicol to treat 5 000 cases and diagnostic kits.
During 1994, more than 3 300 cases were registered in the provinces of Cuene, Huila and Lunda Sud. During 1995, 1 007 cases were notified in 7 provinces.