HIGHLIGHTS
During the epidemiological week 21 (Reporting period: 21-27 May 2005), 3 suspected cases of meningococcal meningitis with no related death were reported from the IDP camps in Greater Darfur. The attack rate (AR) for the current week was 0.20 cases per 100,000 population, No outbreak alert was issued for any of the IDP camps in Greater Darfur this week.
No case was reported from Abu Seroj camp in West Darfur this week following vaccination campaign of high-risk population in the camp which resulted in the vaccination coverage of 64%. The campaign was undertaken in response to an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis (caused by Neisseria Meningitis W135) in the camp. Surveillance for early case detection, case management and prevention of spread of the disease are also stepped up in and around the epicentre of the outbreak.
The weekly attack rate of suspected meningococcal meningitis has again come down to “zero” case per 100,000 during the current week in Saraf Omra camp in North Darfur. An outbreak of meningococcal meningitis was confirmed in Saraf Omra camp in North Darfur about six weeks back and a localized vaccination campaign was organized in the camp in week no 15.
1. Overview
As of the 1st of January 2005, a total of 155 cases of suspected meningococcal meningitis including 9 deaths (CFR: 5.80%) have been reported from the IDP camps in Greater Darfur. The state of North Darfur has reported 43% (67/155) of these cases. Eleven of these total cases (7%; 11/155 have, so far, been laboratory confirmed by culture. Five (5) of these laboratory confirmed cases were reported from North Darfur, one case was reported from South Darfur while the remaining five (5) laboratory confirmed cases were reported from West Darfur. The distribution of these reported cases of suspected meningitis and the fatality rates are shown in Table-1.
Table-1: Distribution of suspected meningococcal meningitis cases across Darfur States, 1 January -27May 2005
State
|
Number of reported cases
|
Number of reported deaths
|
CFR (%)
|
North Darfur
|
67
|
4
|
5.97%
|
South Darfur
|
47
|
1
|
2.12%
|
West Darfur
|
41
|
4
|
9.75%
|
TOTAL
|
155
|
9
|
5.80
|
Figure 1. Weekly distribution of reported clinically Diagnosed Meningitis cases, Greater Darfur, Sudan, 1 January - 27 May 2005
Only three (3) cases of clinically diagnosed meningitis were reported this week (Figure-1) from Greater Darfur compared with 6 cases reported last week. No death was reported this week from Greater Darfur. Of these 3 cases, two (2) cases were reported from West Darfur while 1 case was reported from North Darfur. No case was reported from South Darfur this week. The weekly attack rate of clinically diagnosed meningitis continue to drop during the past few weeks and, until now, it has never crossed 1 case per 100,000 population in Greater Darfur. The weekly attack rate of clinically diagnosed meningitis cases in Greater Darfur is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Weekly attack rate of clinically diagnosed Meningitis, Greater Darfur, Sudan, 1 January- 27 May 2005.