Measles Kills 33 In Adamawa

The Adamawa State government  has confirmed the death of 33 persons following an outbreak of measles in the state.

The commissioner for health and human services, Mr Felix Tangwami, disclosed this  yesterday after state executive council meeting in Yola.

Tangwami said the cases were recorded in vaccine non-compliant communities where 23 people died in Mubi-North and 19 died in Gombi local government area.

He said those affected were from eight political wards in Mubi-North and 10 in Gombi, thereby affecting 33 settlements in both local government areas.

According to him, 131 suspected cases of measles were reported in Mubi-North while 177 cases were in Gombi, adding that the situation had been contained for now.

He added that there was no further death recorded as the state government had reactivated a response team and an emergency operation unit.

He pointed out that disease surveillance officers led by Mr Polycarp Kadala, the director, public health in the ministry and Dr Bashir Suleiman, the executive secretary of the state primary health care development agency are in the response team in the affected areas.

On the suspected polio virus in Mayo-belwa local government area, he said 30 samples had been sent to the Federal Medical Centre Gombi as the state awaits the results.

He added that the suspected case was brought to area from Kano by a native of the area.

“In the case of suspected polio virus case, people are not affected. Those that are supposed to be affected have been vaccinated long ago,” Tangwami added.

He said government had beefed up advocacy in schools ahead of next week’s resumption, market places and places of worship on the need to reduce overcrowding, drink water and  bathe constantly to reduce heat.