Nigerian health officials confirmed Tuesday that a meningitis outbreak in the northwest has killed at least 26 people since January.
The outbreak began in Kebbi state, where more than 200 suspected cases have been recorded, state Health Commissioner Musa Ismail told reporters in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital. Medical supplies have been dispatched to affected areas, and isolation centers have been established to contain the spread, he said.
In neighboring Sokoto state, about 90 miles (150 kilometers) from Kebbi, health officials have urged residents to remain vigilant after several suspected cases were reported.
Sokoto State Health Commissioner Faruk Abubakar advised residents to take precautions and seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as high fever, stiff neck, and severe headaches.
Meningitis, which affects the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, is more prevalent in Nigeria during the hot season. The country, the most populous in Africa, also struggles with other health challenges, including malaria, for which it bears the highest global burden.
Nigeria previously received aid from the United States Agency for International Development to combat infectious diseases, but that support has recently been withdrawn.
Between 2022 and 2023, Nigeria recorded 2,765 suspected meningitis cases and 190 deaths, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2024, the World Health Organization reported 153 deaths from a similar outbreak.
Nigeria is working to implement a roadmap approved by the World Health Assembly in 2020, which aims to eliminate meningitis by 2030.