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March 22, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Meningitis Epidemic Kills 540 in Burkina Faso"

Reuters (www.reuters.com) (03/20/02); Bonkoungou, Mathieu

Health officials in Burkina Faso report that at least 544 people have died from a meningitis epidemic that is sweeping through the impoverished West African country and has infected at least 3,579 people so far.  Meningitis type W-135 originated in Saudi Arabia, according to the Health Ministry's Jean-Gabriel Ouango, but it is generally not the a prevalent strain found in the region; meningitis types A and C are more common in Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso is one of at least 18 sub-Saharan nations stretching east-west from Ethiopia to Senegal referred to as the meningitis belt.  At least 3.6 million residents of Burkina Faso have already been vaccinated against the disease, and officials say they plan to continue their efforts to vaccinate more people.

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