ABUJA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- At least 26 people have been killed in an outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) across four local government areas in Nigeria's northwestern Kebbi State, health authorities said Tuesday.
Musa Ismaila, the health commissioner in Kebbi, told the media in the state capital, Birnin Kebbi, that the outbreak, declared in late January, became more fatal last week with a sudden rise in suspected cases.
"A total of 248 suspected cases have been recorded. We are facing the unfortunate situation of an outbreak with a higher-than-usual number of cases, characterized by symptoms such as fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhea and sensitivity to light," Ismaila said.
Drugs and other medical supplies have been distributed to the affected local government areas, and the state government is working to contain the situation.
CSM outbreaks are mostly caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A. In Nigeria, these outbreaks typically occur during the dry season due to low humidity and dusty conditions and usually subside with the onset of the rainy season.
