Syria’s Raqqa records 386 infections of meningitis
RAQAA, Syria (North Press) – Health Committee of Raqqa Civil Council, affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), warned on Tuesday of significant spread of meningitis among the population.
Ali Abdel-Aziz, an official in the Health Committee in Raqqa, said that the number of meningitis infections reached 386.
“Meningitis is a serious infection of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is a devastating disease and remains a major public health challenge. The disease can be caused by many different pathogens including bacteria, fungi or viruses,” the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
“Those infected with the disease are of different age groups. Most of the cases were recorded in public hospitals, while the committee did not get statistics from private hospitals,” Abdel-Aziz told North Press.
The AANES was first formed in 2014 in the Kurdish-majority regions of Afrin, Kobani and Jazira in northern Syria following the withdrawal of the government forces. Later, it was expanded to Manbij, Tabqa, Raqqa, Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) defeated ISIS militarily.
He added that the causes of the spread of the disease are still unclear. Most of the recorded infections in Raqqa are viral meningitis that can be cured in a couple of weeks.
The bacteria that causes meningitis is transmitted from one person to another through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions from carriers. Close and prolonged contact – such as kissing, sneezing or coughing on someone, or living in close quarters with an infected person, facilitates the spread of the disease, according to the WHO.
The most common symptoms of meningitis are a stiff neck, high fever, sensitivity to light, confusion, headaches and vomiting.
Abdel-Aziz indicated that a team consists of specialized people will be established to investigate the causes of the spread of meningitis in the city of Raqqa and to take the necessary measures.
Sticking to preventative methods, personal hygiene and staying away from infected people, reduces the possibility of the transmission of the infection to healthy people, according to the health official.