A meningitis epidemic hitting half a dozen countries in West Africa has killed more than 4,800 people so far this year, a spokesman for the World Health Organization said Thursday.
The epidemic has killed 3,386 people in Nigeria and 503 people in Niger, according to WHO. A total of 722 people have also died in Burkina Faso since January, while the toll has climbed in Chad, Mali and Benin.The number of cases in Nigeria rose to 18,893 from 17,688 a week ago, when the number of deaths there stood at 2,550.
The spokesman was quoting from a field report received at WHO headquarters in Geneva, which last week suggested that the current epidemic might signal a new "epidemic cycle" in Africa.
"The cumulative total in Nigeria as of yesterday (Wednesday) was 18,893 cases and 3,386 deaths," he told Reuters.
"The team sent an urgent cable regarding the spread of the epidemic," he added.
The figures, reported to WHO by the respective health ministries, show 503 deaths in Niger out of 4,808 known cases.
In Burkina Faso, 722 deaths had occurred out of 8,252 cases. The situation is considered "very serious" in five of the country's 30 provinces.
Chad has reported 19 deaths from 244 cases, while Mali has reported 158 deaths from 787 cases and Benin 34 deaths out of 251 cases.
Meningitis causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord and can be fatal in more than 50 percent of cases if not treated.
WHO has distributed hundreds of thousands of doses of vaccine in affected areas of Nigeria and its experts are working closely with local health officials in affected countries.