Dr. Jide Idris, the director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, announced on Tuesday that the organisation has started looking into and treating an unusual illness that has been found in six wards in Sokoto State.
To assist the Sokoto State Ministry of Health in responding to the incidences, Idris stated that the organisation has sent out a National Rapid Response Team.
During a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Idris said that the state ministry of health had notified the agency on March 21, 2024, about cases of children from Isa Local Government Area of the state, exhibiting symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and weight loss, along with abdominal distension brought on by the rapid onset of abdominal fluids (ascites).
He mentioned that the majority of the cases involve children between the ages of four and thirteen, with a small number of adult cases from various wards and settlements within the LGA.
In order to collaborate with the State Ministry of Health in the ongoing investigation and response to this occurrence, he stated that the NCDC had sent out a National Rapid Response Team. 164 suspected cases has been reported. Regretfully, out of the suspected cases, four deaths have been documented.
The Uthman Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto is now handling two suspected cases, and one person has been released due to improving symptoms. About 130 individuals are receiving care in the impacted LGA at home or in the Primary Healthcare Centres, while four further suspected cases are being admitted to the Isa General Hospital.
According to the director of the NCDC, the first clinical evaluation and inquiries into the cases admitted to the teaching hospital excluded an infectious cause for the incident, so more causes had to be looked into, including heavy metal tests.
Mining, agricultural practices involving the use of various chemicals and pesticides, health-seeking behaviour, and community practices that can be harmful to people's health are among the activities that have been seen in the impacted communities.
Blood, abdominal fluids, environmental samples (soil, water), locally grown food produce (vegetables, grains), substances and ingredients used in food and drink, pesticides, and chemicals used in local guns have all been collected in this regard and sent for analysis.
