Strange disease kills 71 in Adamawa - 746 critically ill
Wale Akintunde, Yola - 25.09.2009

STILL smarting from an outbreak of cholera that claimed so many lives in the state recently, Adamawa State is in the news again as a yet to be diagnosed disease is ravaging the state with 71 persons already confirmed dead and about 746 lying critically ill.

The Adamawa State Commissioner for Information, Bubakari Musa Kamale, who confirmed the death toll said the nature of the disease has not been determined. Kamale, however, maintained that the state government is waiting for the outcome of the specimen sent for analysis.

However, the government spokesman has said the epidemic that has continued unabated for the past weeks cannot be said to be cholera.

According to the commissioner, “this is a strange disease that is characterised by excessive vomiting, diarrhea, high fever and in some instances, coughing.”

Kamale further stated the samples have since been sent for analysis to teaching hospitals in Ibadan and Maiduguri as well as to France and the United States.

He said the state government had taken measures to arrest the situation from spreading by providing drugs to the health Ministry for administration in the affected areas.

It will be recalled that the Emir of Mubi, Abubakar Isah Ahmadu, had alerted Governor Murtala Nyako, to the outbreak of the disease when he paid him Sallah homage at the Government House recently.

Before the royal father cried out, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Zainab Kwonchi, council chairmen in Mubi zone as well as other health officials had at different occasions confirmed the outbreak to the epidemic.





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