Lubango — At least 453 lepers were registered this year by Lubango's public health department in different municipalities of the province, medical sources said Friday.

Lubango provincial leprosy control officer, Martinho Catchipia, told the Angolan news agency that most of the cases were diagnosed in the municipalities of Lubango, Humpata, Chibia, and Caluquembe.

Seventeen new cases were registered in the last three months in the Humpata municipality.

This led the province's health department to seek the assistance of an Italian NGO, "Nova Fronteira" to study the reasons for the resurgence of the illness in that locality.

Martinho Catchipia said the World Food Programme, "IESA",and Nova Fronteira were providing medical supplies.