São Paulo City Hall confirms one death from meningitis in the city

The Municipal Health Department of São Paulo confirmed the death of a 42-year-old woman from meningitis. She was a resident of the region that encompasses Vila Formosa and Aricanduva, two neighborhoods on the east side of the capital.

This is one of five cases of meningococcal meningitis type C recorded from July 16 to September 15. In addition to the woman, the remaining cases were registered in a 2-month-old baby and in adults of 20, 21 and 61 years of age.

According to the city hall, immediately after the notifications of the cases, prevention and control actions were triggered by the Health Surveillance Coordination (Covisa).

Among the measures, there was the provision of preventive medicines for people considered closer, such as relatives or people living in the same house as people affected by the disease, in addition to the vaccination intensification in the region, for residents between 3 months and 64 years of age, including those with active search. 7,400 people were vaccinated in the region in the last 15 days.

“It should be clarified that across the city the number of cases has decreased this year compared to 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic. From January until yesterday (26) 56 cases of meningococcal disease were reported throughout the capital. During the same period of 2019 [janeiro a setembro] 158 cases of the disease were registered, that is, a reduction of 64.5% in the general scope”, said the city hall through a note.

Meningococcal disease or meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, which are the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, and which can be caused by infections from various microorganisms, such as fungi, viruses and bacteria. To prevent the disease, it is possible to take the vaccine in all Basic Health Units (UBS) in the municipality.

Protocol

The immunizer against meningococcal meningitis C should be applied to babies at 3, 5 and 12 months, and the meningococcal meningitis ACWY vaccine is currently applied to the 11 to 14 year old age group. Vaccination was expanded on the 19th also for adolescents aged 13 and 14, until June 2023, as defined by the National Immunization Program.

“It is essential that parents and guardians keep their children’s vaccinations up to date to protect them from so-called vaccine-preventable diseases, such as meningococcal meningitis, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, mumps, among others. Vaccines save lives and this was even more evident in the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Municipal Health Secretary Luiz Carlos Zamarco.

Citizens can check their vaccination status at the health unit and locate the closest one through the Search Health platform.