Meningitis epidemic declared in a Ruyigi commune

All 55,000 residents of Gisuru Commune in the eastern Burundian province of Ruyigi will be vaccinated against meningitis now that health authorities have declared the area affected by an epidemic, the director for health services, Jean-Paul Nyarushatsi, said on Wednesday. He added that there had been six confirmed cases among the 44 suspected reported in the commune. Although no epidemic has been declared in the eastern province of Cankuzo, where two people have died from among the 10 suspected cases registered, health authorities say the situation is serious and should be monitored closely. The measures being adopted in Gisuru were announced on Wednesday during a coordination meeting between provincial and central health officials, the World Health Organisation and NGOs such as MSF-Holland. The meeting also recommended that 10 families living in proximity with every affected family be vaccinated in all the other communes of Ruyigi. Other suggestions were that health authorities increase epidemiological surveillance as the best way of checking the spread of the disease. But provincial health officials said the fighting between government and rebel forces, as well as the poor telecommunications infrastructure in some areas had made it difficult to access some sections of the public. They said the provision of cellular telephones would largely overcome this problem. Ruyigi Province borders Tanzania, where meningitis cases have been reported in camps housing Burundian refugees. It also borders other provinces such as Muyinga, which are affected by a recent meningitis outbreak.