A meningitis epidemic that broke out in January in Niger has so far killed 45 people, the health minister told AFP on Saturday.
"From January 1 to March 29, 2015, some 345 cases of meningitis, including 45 fatalities, have been reported, which is a fatality rate of 15.3 percent," the minister, Mano Aghali, said.
The capital Niamey is one of the hardest hit areas, with 18 deaths among 119 cases, while neighbouring Dosso has seen 18 deaths from 157 cases, Aghali said. All regions, except Diffa in the southeast, have seen cases.
But "the situation is under control," he said
Niger has distributed 13,500 doses of the vaccine and medicines are being administered free of charge within zones suffering from the epidemic.
Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, is frequently prone to meningitis epidemics.
The disease—an inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord—can cause death within hours. It is usually bacterial or viral and occasionally is due to fungal infections, although almost any microbe can cause it.
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© 2015 AFP
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A meningitis epidemic that broke out in January in Niger has so far killed 45 people, the health minister told AFP on Saturday.
"From January 1 to March 29, 2015, some 345 cases of meningitis, including 45 fatalities, have been reported, which is a fatality rate of 15.3 percent," the minister, Mano Aghali, said.
The capital Niamey is one of the hardest hit areas, with 18 deaths among 119 cases, while neighbouring Dosso has seen 18 deaths from 157 cases, Aghali said. All regions, except Diffa in the southeast, have seen cases.
But "the situation is under control," he said
Niger has distributed 13,500 doses of the vaccine and medicines are being administered free of charge within zones suffering from the epidemic.
Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, is frequently prone to meningitis epidemics.
The disease—an inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord—can cause death within hours. It is usually bacterial or viral and occasionally is due to fungal infections, although almost any microbe can cause it.
Explore further: Niger cholera outbreak kills 51 people: UN
© 2015 AFP
Medical Xpress on facebook
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Niger cholera outbreak kills 51 people: UN
Niger has seen more than 1,300 cases of cholera since the beginning of the year, with 51 people dying of the disease, the United Nations said Monday.
Britain to offer all infants meningitis B vaccine
Britain says it will become the first country to offer all babies a vaccine for potentially fatal meningitis B after it reached a price deal with GlaxoSmithKline PLC.
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Federal health regulators have approved a second vaccine to prevent a strain of bacteria that can cause deadly cases of meningitis.
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