NCDC: STRANGE DISEASE UPDATE my 19-04-24
By Sadiq Aminu The unknown disease announced by the Nigeria Center for Diseaes Control and prevention, NCDC on the 9th of this month has now spread to Kaduna State.
To this end, the NCDC had convened an emergency meeting with commissioners for health from Sokoto and Kaduna States to Address the Unknown Illness.
The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris who hosted the emergency meeting with the two health Commissioners at NCDC Headquarters Abuja, also spoke virtually with Zamfara State Commissioner for Health.
The meeting was aimed at unraveling the root cause as well as contain and mitigate the impact of the ongoing disease and infection of unknown origin in both Sokoto, Zamfara and now Kaduna States.
The Honourable Commissioners
(Hajiya Asabe Balarabe (Sokoto), Dr Aisha Anka (Zamfara), and Hajiya Umma Ahmed (Kaduna) discussed the current situation in the three states and also provided updates on response efforts.
They equally agreed with the DG of NCDC on further measures adopted to contain and mitigate the impact of the illness suspected to be heavy metal poisoning possibly linked to mining activities.
Dr Idris announced that as of 16th, of April, a total of 196 suspected cases of the unknown illness with seven (7) deaths have been reported across Isa, Sabon Birni, and Ilella Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Sokoto State.
“Results of their analyses on the various samples sent to the different sister laboratories including NIPRID, NAFDAC and NIMR are being awaited”
“Following reports of similar cases in kaduna State, another National Rapid Response Team (NRRT) will be deployed this week to assess the situation and provide support to the state”.
The DG of the NCDC therefore urged affected and nearby communities in Kaduna State, given its proximity to Sokoto and Zamfara states, to report any symptoms of the strange disease to the nearest health facility or call NCDC toll free line (6232), while Healthcare workers should report any suspected cases.
Some of the identified symptoms of the srange disease include fever, abdominal swelling and pain, vomiting, and weight loss.
The NCDC had on the 9th of April. announced that it had launched an investigation into the unidentified disease, which had killed 164 children between the ages of 4 and 13 years in Sokoto State.