Meningococcal disease--outbreak in Delhi

Meningococcal disease occurs both endemically and epidemically across the world. In India also meningococcal disease occurs sporadically with epidemics occurring at regular intervals. Epidemics of meningococcal disease have occurred in Delhi in the year 1935, then in the year 1966 which lasted for a year and again in 1985-86. The last epidemic took a great toll with case fatality rate nearly 13%. This year also there has been an outbreak of meningococcal disease with nearly 400 cases and case fatality rates of about 10% majority are males between the age group of 21-30 years and from the inner crowded areas of the city.