Update on meningitis outbreak in DRC

The WHO African Region Weekly Bulletin on Outbreaks and Other Emergencies (Week 07: 10 – 16 February 2025) reports 17 cases of meningitis in the Banalia Health Zone, Tshopo Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) including five deaths, giving a case fatality rate of 29%. Notably, the Bulletin also documents seven cases (with one death) reported in the first week of 2025 alone. As of 6th January 2025, the INRB laboratory in Kinshasa had received a total of twelve samples from the Banalia Health Zone, of which seven were found to be positive for Neisseria meningitides W135 (thus yielding a confirmation rate of 58%). Preliminary investigations indicate a high prevalence of cases in the Mangi Health Area (HA), which has been identified as the focal point of the recent meningitis outbreak in the Banalia Health Zone. It is noteworthy that in the year 2021, a total of 2,662 cases and 205 deaths were reported in this area.