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Meningitis Still Spreading

A meningitis outbreak in northern Namibia has continued to claim victims, even though vaccines have finally arrived after stocks were depleted within two days last month, the ‘Namibian’ reported on Friday. The number of cases detected has risen to 65 in Ohangwena, Oshana and Omusati and Oshikoto. Nine people are known to have died of the disease in northern and northeastern Namibia since October. Top health official in the North, Dr Naftali Hamata, said from his office at Oshakati on Friday that 17,000 meningitis vaccine doses have arrived but that syringes and needles have not yet been delivered from the capital Windhoek.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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