MENINGITIS SWEEPS BURKINA FASO

A MENINGITIS epidemic that has raced through Burkina Faso since the beginning of this year has claimed 567 lives among the 3_226 people infected, according to a toll published by the west African country’s health ministry. A major meningitis outbreak in Burkina Faso killed about 4_000 people in 1996. The west African country is regularly wracked by meningitis every year between December and February. – AFP