Contents
Table of contents
Overview
214,000
Estimated total meningitis deaths in 2021
Source: IHME, GBD 2021
5th
Largest infectious killer of children under 5
Source: IHME, GBD 2021
Of meningitis deaths worldwide occur in low or lower middle-income countries
Calculated from IHME, GBD 2021 and World bank income classification, 2024
How many people are dying from meningitis where you live?
Around one in 10 people who get meningitis will die
A “death” represents a person who has died from meningitis. It helps us to track the number of people dying from meningitis over time or in a specific area.
This chart breaks down the estimated number of meningitis deaths by country and World Health Organisation (WHO) region. Use the slider to track how these figures change over time.
Meningitis is a serious, often life-threatening illness that can kill in hours. Around half of all deaths from meningitis will be in children under five.
Vaccines can prevent many of the leading causes of meningitis. Tracking deaths from meningitis can help to show the importance of making vaccines available to those most at risk.
What’s the risk of dying from meningitis where you live?
Risk of death from meningitis remains unacceptably high in many counties
“Mortality” refers to the rate of deaths from meningitis within a specific population over a given period of time.
Use the interactive map above to see at a glance which countries have a higher incidence of risk of dying from meningitis. You can also look at the incidence of meningitis – or risk of getting meningitis –mortality rates in different WHO regions.
The risk of dying from meningitis is affected by where you live. People living in a region of Sub-Saharan Africa known as the Meningitis Belt are at higher risk of dying from meningitis.
How does progress in reducing deaths from meningitis compare to other vaccine-preventable diseases?
Unfortunately, progress against meningitis has fallen behind other diseases
Source: IHME, GBD 2021
Most meningitis deaths can be prevented but progress lags behind other infectious diseases. Between 2000 and 2021, meningitis deaths fell by 45%, while deaths from measles fell by 89% and tetanus by 79%.
The WHO Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030 – a worldwide vision for action against meningitis – could have a dramatic impact on these numbers, preventing around 200,000 deaths annually.
Read more about the Race to 2030:
tetanus
79
measles
89
meningitis
45
Citing our work
We welcome you using our data to advocate for and raise awareness of meningitis. However, when citing this information please include references to underlying data sources, as this important work relies on many different people and organisations.
Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF). (2024). Meningitis Progress Tracker | Meningitis Research Foundation.
www.meningitis.org. https://www.meningitis.org/mpt
Want to support our work?
Your donation for meningitis research drives vital advancements in prevention, treatment, and public health education, saving lives and fostering hope for a future free from this devastating disease. Join us in the fight against meningitis today to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and communities worldwide.
