Meningitis outbreak kills over 250 In Burkina Faso (Reuters)

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Burkina Faso calls for international aid to combat a meningitis outbreak that has killed 258 people since the start of the year.

Feb. 24, 2007 -- OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) -- Burkina Faso has called for international aid to combat a meningitis outbreak that has killed 258 people since the start of the year.

Health Minister Alain Yoda said late Friday the government needed 790 million CFA francs ($1.6 million) in immediate aid to help finance a vaccination campaign after the West African country's stocks ran out.

"I launch a solemn appeal to all the partners of Burkina Faso who have always been by our side that they once more bring us the help we need so we can conquer this epidemic as soon as possible," Yoda said.

With 2,752 recorded cases, the mortality rate in the latest outbreak was 9.3 percent, he said. Of 55 health districts in the country, five had reached epidemic proportions -- at least 10 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants.