Ten more people have died in northwest Nigeria following the outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in parts of the most populous African country, a local official said on Tuesday.

Jabbi Shagari, a senior local official in Shagari district of the northwestern state of Sokoto, said the deaths were recorded out of several cases that are being treated across the area.

He noted the state government had controlled the spread of the disease by providing drugs and medication.

A total of 17 states in Nigeria are affected by the outbreak of meningitis, which is an acute inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord.

At least 489 deaths have been recorded due to the outbreak across the country, minister of health, Isaac Adewole, said.

Adewole said Type C, the new strain of meningitis in the west African country, was imported from neighboring Niger. The new strain requires a different type of vaccine.

The symptoms include fever, rash, headache, and vomiting.

The seasonal outbreak of meningitis is expected in Nigeria due to its location and occasioned by factors like cold nights, dusty winds and dry weather.

The current problem was aggravated by formidable factors like traditional beliefs, poor hygiene, and overpopulation, experts told Xinhua.

The Nigerian government has deployed epidemiologists and vaccines to contain the outbreak. Vaccination is an effective way of controlling the disease.

Health authorities have bolstered immunization and sensitization services across the country.

source: Xinhua