The Federal government has warned Nigerians about the increased risk of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) during the dry season, characterized by dust, winds, and cold nights, saying that in 2023, 190 lives were lost to this disease.

It said the warning becomes important as the weather condition brings with it frequent upper respiratory tract infections that increase the risk of infection, especially with crowding and poor ventilation.

The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Ifedayo Adetifa, says the highest burden of CSM in Nigeria occurs in the “Meningitis Belt” which includes all 19 states in the Northern region, FCT, and some southern states such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun.

Adetifa, in a public health advisor issued on Thursday, however, assured that the government is working to prevent, detect, and respond to cases of the disease, while calling on citizens to practice good personal and hand hygiene by frequently washing hands with soap under running water or using hand sanitisers when necessary.