NIAMEY, Niger (AP) -- The death toll from a meningitis outbreak in the West African country of Niger has risen to 459, the government said Monday.

Since the outbreak surfaced in January, close to 5,700 cases have been reported, overwhelming the nation's health facilities, Health Minister Assoumane Adamou said, appealing for international support.

Meningitis, an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, can be caused by a virus or bacteria. With treatment, only 1 percent of infected people die.

Outbreaks are common in Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, which straddles the southern tip of the Sahara desert.

Africa suffered its worst meningitis epidemic in 1996 when more than 150,000 people -- most of them children -- were infected in several countries and 16,000 died. Another 16,000 suffered brain damage or paralysis.