The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has confirmed 8 deaths and over 208 suspected new cases following an outbreak of a strange illness in Sokoto State.
The manager of the centre, Dr Ibrahim Usman, revealed this at an interactive session with officials of the state Ministry of Health.
He said the incident happened in Sabon Birni and Isa local government areas of the state.
According to him, 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, fever, vomiting, and sudden weight loss.
The state Deputy Governor, Engineer Idris Mohammed Gobir, had told the visiting Minister of Health, Professor Ali Pate, at a courtesy call that the strange disease had killed many in Isa.
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.
According to the state NCDC boss, the interim results show varying levels of lead and chromium in blood samples, prompting scrutiny of local activities such as mining and possible mingling with agrochemicals.
He explained that the collaborative efforts have extended beyond health institutions, encompassing government agencies, research bodies, and community stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the executive secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, SSPHCDA, Hajiya Larai Tambuwal, said the complications were largely believed to stem from victim agricultural practices and other factors such as climatic conditions, security challenges, sources of drinking water, open defecation, malnutrition, and other surrounding issues.
