United Nations Radio

The World Health Organization is sending several experts to help Nigeria's Ministry of Health deal with a large meningitis outbreak in its northern states.

meningitis-infected brain graphic

Nigerian health authorities have reported more than 17,000 suspected cases of meningitis, including 960 deaths. WHO spokesperson Fadela Chaib says this is the first time there have been so many cases in northern Nigeria but there are 300 million people in the so-called 'meningitis belt' who are at risk of the disease every year.

"Meningitis is common in Africa, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. It's the season now. One of our concerns is the fact that we will need large amounts of vaccines to be able to vaccinate in the districts where these cases have been identified, and the stockpile of vaccines is a limited one."

Meningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain that mainly affects children. It kills up to 10 percent of patients in the first 48 hours and causes brain damage in 20 percent of the survivors.

For UN Radio, I'm Bissera Kostova.

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