Description of the situation
An outbreak of meningococcal disease in Kabgayi district (Gitarama prefecture) was confirmed on 10 August by a team comprising national medical personnel and WHO staff. Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A has been isolated. As of 22 August, 164 cases and 10 deaths had been reported since the beginning of the outbreak in mid-July.
The outbreak has occurred in an area bordering the road between Rwanda and Burundi, 53 km from Kigali. Mass immunization of those affected or at risk (a population of 70 000) was started on 14 August. The national health authorities and WHO are monitoring the situation closely.