NCDC speaks as strange disease kills 8 in Sokoto

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reacted to the death of eight residents of Sokoto after a strange disease outbreak.

Over 208 suspected new cases following has also been recorded in the state.

The manager of the center, Dr Ibrahim Usman, Sunday, at an interactive session with officials of the state Ministry of Health, that the incident happened in Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas of the state.

He also said prompt measures were taken by the NCDC and the state government to control the spread of the yet-to-be identified disease as samples were taken to NCDC laboratories for analysis.

He stated that the illness manifested with symptoms of abdominal disorder, feverishness, vomiting, and sudden weight loss.

Recently, the state Deputy Governor Engineer, Idris Mohammed Gobir, told the visiting Minister of Health, Professor Ali Pate, at a courtesy call that the strange disease had killed many in Isa local government area of the state.

Gobir urged the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, do the needful with a view to identifying and curtailing the continued spread of the disease to other areas of the state.

He said the state government has already dispatched team of experts with medicaments to ascertain the situation and provide first aid to victims who have contracted the illness. 

The NCDC has so far deployed a National Rapid Response Team (NRRT) to work with the Ministry of Health to further investigate the matter.

“All affected children were taken to Specialist Hospital Sokoto for treatment, and residents of the affected areas have been sensitised on the dangers of the strange illness and advised to report new cases promptly.”