Warden Message

Warden Message – Meningitis Outbreak

02/12/2008

The U.S. Embassy is issuing this Warden Message to alert American citizens to a current meningitis outbreak in Burkina Faso.  As of February 7, the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso reported 521 cases of meningitis resulting in 64 deaths.  The affected areas in Burkina Faso are Gaoua in the southwest, 30 km from the Ghana border, and Mandogara, just 20 km from the Cote d'Ivoire.

Meningitis, an acute bacterial disease, characterized by the sudden onset of fever, intense headache, stiff neck, nausea, and often vomiting, is a serious, life-threatening illness.  Immediate recognition and treatment are essential if meningitis is suspected.  The disease is transmitted by direct contact, including respiratory droplets from the nose and throat of the infected person.  Prevention is critical.  Avoid crowds and close contact with individuals who are ill with cough and respiratory symptoms. Frequent hand washing with soap and water is advised or the use of the Ethyl Alcohol (62%) hand cleanser if soap and water is not available.

American citizens should confirm with their medical providers that their meningitis A, C, Y, and W135 inoculations are up to date.  Information about meningitis may be found at the website for the Centers for Disease Control at:  http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-Menin.aspx  and http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/meningococcal_g.htm#What%20is%20meningitis.   Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the CDC’s hot line for international travelers at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-877-232-4636), fax 1-888-232-3299, or via CDC’s website. For information on local providers of vaccines, please contact the U.S. Embassy, consular section, at 50-30-67-23.

American citizens living and traveling in Burkina Faso are advised to register their presence in the country through the U.S. Department of State's automated online registration system, https://travelregistration.state.gov.  U.S. citizens may also contact the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy via e-mail at Consularouaga@state.gov or by calling 50-30-67-23. This complete message is available on the Embassy’s website at http://burkinafaso.usembassy.gov.

The U.S. Embassy is located on Avenue John F. Kennedy and the mailing address is 01 B.P. 35, Ouagadougou.  The telephone numbers are (226) 5030-6723/24/25, Monday to Thursday (07:30-17:00), Friday (07:30-12:30); (226) 5031-2660 or 5031-2707 after hours; fax number (226) 5031-5273