At least 56 people have been confirmed dead, and there are 653 reported cases of cerebrospinal meningitis affecting five Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kebbi State. The most seriously affected areas are Jega, Aliero, and Gwandu, but the situation is now under control.
Dr. Nuhu Koko, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health in Kebbi State, shared this update during a news conference on Wednesday.
Koko explained that the Public Health Department began receiving reports of individuals exhibiting symptoms like fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness, vomiting, and dizziness, which, in some cases, resulted in fatalities.
Upon receiving these reports, active surveillance was initiated. Samples were collected and sent to the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja to confirm the suspected outbreak, he noted.
He expressed that all the five positive case patients were treated and discharged alive, while seven samples result are pending with NRL Abuja, with advocacy visit to Stakeholders in the State and Partners (WHO/MSF/UNICEF) carried out detail outbreak Investigations and distribution of Drugs and other commodities to the affected.
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