Yellow fever claims over 100 in Nigeria

Mosquito that causes yellow fever

Mosquito that causes yellow fever

from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
ABUJA, (CAJ News) NIGERIA is battling an outbreak of the yellow fever virus that has killed more than 100 people since August.

The northwestern Bauchi State is the most affected with 77 deaths from some 600 cases.

At least 24 people have died from 183 confirmed cases in the northern Bauchi.

Benue, also in the north has reported 150 cases but no deaths have been reported.

Nigeria has activated a multi-agency yellow fever Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in response to the increasing cases.

Rapid Response Team (RRTs) have been deployed to Bauchi, Benue and Katsina states to support the outbreak response.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) development partners recently implemented yellow fever mass vaccination campaigns.

These have been implemented in 13 of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja.

Symptoms of yellow fever include yellowness of the eyes, sudden fever, headache and body pain.

Yellow fever is the latest health setback for Nigeria.

The country suffers sporadic outbreaks of cholera. Cholera is prevalent in the northeastern parts of the country where millions have been displaced by the Boko Haram violence and lack access to clean water and sanitation.

– CAJ News

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