Over twenty people are said to have died following the suspected outbreak of meningitis in Sokoto State, northwest of Nigeria.

A reliable government source confirmed this to Channels Television on Sunday.

The deaths were said to have occurred in seven local governments of Kebbe, Bodinga, Rabah, Wamakko, Gada, Dange/Shuni and Tureta.

The state government however said that so far, it has deployed about 15 medical teams, comprising of over 150 medical personnel to the 23 local governments of the state to prevent further spread.

The government also added that Emergency Response Teams have so far treated no fewer than 330 mixed cases of severe malaria and meningitis across the seven top-hit local governments.

The last time there was an outbreak of such nature, was in 2015, when the Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria reported an increase in suspected cases in states including Sokoto and Kebbi. (Channels TV)

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