The Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Alexis Nang-Beifubah, says it will take disease researchers at least a week to determine the particular type of meningitis that killed four students of the Kumasi Academy.
Autopsy report by health authorities in Kumasi showed the four students died of meningitis contrary to speculation that it was caused by food poison, something that caused disturbances in the school.
In an exclusive interview with TV3 Thursday, Dr. Nang-Beifubah “Point two meningitis was detected because the pathologists found signs suggesting inflammation of the meningitis”.
However, he explained though the inflammation of the brains is a symptom of the viral type of meningitis, it is too early to conclude on the actual type of meningitis, adding “we have taken the water that surrounds the brain; that is the cerebrospinal fluid for further analysis”.
Yesterday’s news conference on the matter, he said, was to dispel speculations that the deaths of the students had spiritual connotations.
He said “we are in the meningitis period because of the dry nature of the weather and health personnel are on high alert”.
On the issue of vaccines, he said the type of meningitis will determine which vaccine to used in preventing people from getting the disease, adding the vaccine will be procured by the World Health Organisation.
A total of 15 cases of meningitis have been recorded in the Ashanti Region in the first quarter of 2017.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service and authorities of the Kumasi Academy have asked the students to go on break ahead of their mid – term holidays.
Their impending end of term examination has also been postponed.
By William Evans-Nkum|TV3|3news.com|Ghana