Abuja,

As many as 40 children have died in a fresh outbreak of measles across the 23 local government areas in Nigeria's Kaduna State, Xinhua reported.

This year alone, the state recorded at least 1,000 cases of the disease, resulting in the high number of deaths, reported a local daily, citing Sufyan Babale, executive secretary of the Kaduna Primary Health Care Agency.

"I visited the area personally and saw fresh graves of over 30 children that died in Lere local government area alone," Babale said. 

The healthcare official said more cases reported in other local government areas have been put under control by the government.

Six months ago, federal health authorities in Abuja made moves to combat the contagious viral disease that had infected no fewer than 4,000 children in the northern part of Nigeria. 

Children between nine months and five years old are particularly susceptible to measles, an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus. But it can occur at any age. 

By:IANS