Mosquito that causes yellow fever
from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – MORE than 20 people have died from a suspected outbreak of Yellow fever in southern Nigeria.
The outbreak reported in the Ebonyi State is the latest health crisis to hit the Western African country.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) stated its investigations indicated that the outbreak might have been going on for months undetected by local health authorities.
“It was too late to collect samples for confirmation from these cases,” Chikwe Ihekweazu, NCDC Chief Executive Officer and National Coordinator said.
NCDC has deployed a rapid response team to support Ebonyi with contact tracing, case finding, risk communications and the management of Yellow fever cases.
Yellow fever virus is spread through bites of an infected mosquito. There is no human-to-human transmission.
Symptoms of Yellow fever include yellowness of the eyes, sudden fever, headache and body pain.
Nigeria is also battling outbreaks of Lassa fever and meningitis.
More than 200 people have died this year from the diseases.
Africa’s most populous country of over 190 million people is also experiencing sporadic outbreaks of water bourne diseases, particularly cholera, in the northeastern regions mainly affected by the Boko Haram terror group.
– CAJ News