SHILLONG, July 3: With 257 deaths due to suspected meningococcal meningitis in Meghalaya since 2008, the Meghalaya government has adopted two-pronged approach to prevent the airborne disease in the State.

In a setback for Novartis AG, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asked the Swiss drug maker for more information about its meningitis-vaccine candidate, Menveo, with respect to patients between ages 11 and 55.

About five months ago, 16-year-old Rahul Jain had to stop playing cricket in school because his legs shook at odd moments and he would lose balance. When it became frequent, his parents took him to the doctor who diagnosed him with brain TB or tuberculosis meningitis. TB in the brain and spinal cord affects the tissue surrounding the spinal cord. This leads to difficulty in walking.

SHILLONG: The State Government will conduct free mass vaccination against meningococcal meningitis this week in West Khasi Hills where more than 45 people have died of the disease.

According to KSU's West Khasi Hills president John F Nongsiang, Health Minister Dr Mukul Sangma on Tuesday assured a delegation of KSU that mass vaccination would be carried out in the district.

NONGSTOIN: The meningo-coccal meningitis situation in West Khasi Hills has turned worse, with 45 deaths from the disease reported in the district so far.

Three suspected meningitis patients were admitted to Nongstoin Civil Hospital and two of them later referred to Shillong Civil Hospital on Thursday.

SHILLONG: A total of 2,29,901 people have been covered under the first phase of the mass vaccination against meningococcal meningitis in East Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills.

Out of the 2,29,901 people that took the anti-meningitis vaccine, 69,458 were from East Khasi Hills and 1,60,449 from Jaintia Hills. The vaccination programme in the two districts was carried out from May 11 to 16.

SHILLONG: Meghalaya is awaiting medical kits from the Centre to go for a mass vaccination to combat the dreaded meningocal meningitis in four districts of the State.

Meningococcal meningitis

SHILLONG: Meghalaya is waiting for medical kits from the Centre to go for a mass vaccination, possibly in the middle of April, to combat the dreaded meningococcal meningitis in four districts of the State.

New Delhi: The government has decided to vaccinate the entire population living in the meningococcal meningitis affected areas of Meghalaya and Tripura. This will be the first time that government will undertake such a drive to combat a meningitis outbreak.

Agartala: Worried by the spiraling cases of meningitis, Tripura government has finally decided to procure 10,000 World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccines- Bivalent to undertake mass vaccination the deadly disease affected Longtarai Valley subdivision.

Pages