News

BREAKING: Another suspected Yellow Fever outbreak kills 6 in Bauchi

Published

4 years ago

November 3, 2019

A disease outbreak suspected to be Yellow Fever has again killed at least 6 people in different communities in Kyata ward of Ningi Local Government Area after killing over eighteen people in Yankari Local Government, all in Bauchi State.

The affected communities included Tipchi, Deru, Tudun Wada, Barawo and Sabon Gari, all of which are under Burra District.

A resident of Tipchi Ilya Muhammed, who confirmed this in a telephone interview with Edujandon.com, listed the symptoms of the disease to include severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting (most at times with blood) and high fever.

Corroborating Ilya’s claim, a health worker in Tipchi Primary Health Care Centre, who never wanted his name mentioned, listed dizziness and yellowish eyes as additional symptoms the victims present to them.

“Most of those who came to us here said they had the fever for about 3 days before coming. “Seeing their condition and the rampant cases being recorded, we immediately referred them to a higher facility, and in 1 or 2 days you hear that so and so person is returned dead”, recounts the health worker.

The duo confirmed to Edujandon.com that the outbreak started almost a month ago and several complaints have been made to the local government primary health care department, but no action has been taken yet.

“We did report the outbreak to the immediate past director of primary health care in the local government. May be their recent suspension might have delayed government intervention”, says Ilya Muhammed, who is a community leader in Tipchi.

The health worker who spoke to Edujandon.com is currently down with fever, while one of his female colleagues also had fever in the last one week, but is said to be recovering.

“As I am speaking to you now, I am currently at home with fever. I couldn’t even go to work” claimed the health worker.

They appealed to the authorities concerned to send a team of expert to ascertain the nature of the disease for appropriate and prompt intervention.