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Meningitis kills 58 in BFaso
12/02/2003 12:11 - (SA)
Ouagadougou - An outbreak of meningitis has killed at least 58 people in Burkina Faso and infected hundreds of others in the west African country, taking on epidemic proportions, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
The deaths occurred among 396 registered cases, while in 10 of a total of 53 health districts, meningitis has reached or exceeded the epidemic threshold of 10 cases for 100 000 inhabitants, new ministry figures disclosed.
Officials urged people to go for free consultations in the nearest health centres on any sign of the first symptoms of cerebro-spinal meningitis: fever, headaches and a stiffening of the neck.
With "the few vaccines" available in national stocks, a campaign is under way in the worst affected areas of the country, which is one of the poorest in the world.
The UN's World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Monday that it would immediately provide 100 000 doses of vaccine, with half a million in the near future, to try to stem the epidemic.
Last year, the disease killed about 1 500 people out of some 13 000 registered cases.
The WHO office in Ouagadougou said the new ACW135 vaccine will protect people against the A and C strains of the deadly disease, which are more common in Africa, and also block the W135 strain that set off a panic last year.
Meningitis is an inflammation of a membrane that surrounds the brain. Caused by either viral or bacterial infection, it can often be fatal, particularly in children. - Sapa-AFP
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