The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has so far confirmed 8 deaths and over 208 suspected new cases following an outbreak of a strange illness in Sokoto state.
Dr Ibrahim Usman, the manager of the center, said yesterday, 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.
