The Adamawa State Government has confirmed that 33 persons have died following an outbreak of measles in the state.
Commissioner for Health and Human Services in the state, Mr Felix Tangwami, confirmed this on Friday shortly after the State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House, Yola.
Tangwami said the cases were recorded in vaccine non-compliant communities where 23 people died in Mubi-North and others 19 in Gombi local government areas of the state.
He further disclosed that those affected were from eight political wards in Mubi-North and 10 in Gombi.
According to him 131 suspected were reported in Mubi-North while 177 were recorded in Gombi, while adding that the situation has now been contained.
He added that there was no further death recorded as the state government has reactivated response team and emergency operation unit in the state.
Tangwami pointed out that disease surveillance officers led by Director Public Health in the ministry, Mr Polycarp Kadala and the Executive Secretary, Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Bashir Suleiman are on top of the response team in the affected areas.
“Report encouraging. No further death and adequate vaccines have been released to those areas,” Tangwami said.
On the suspected polio virus in Mayo-belwa local government area of the state, he said 30 samples have been sent to Federal Medical Centre Gombi and the results are being awaited.
The commissioner revealed that the suspected case was brought into area from Kano by an indigene of the area but assured that the people were not affected by the virus.
“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 further noted that government has beefed up advocacy in schools ahead of next week resumption, adding that market and worship places have also been educated on the need to reduce over-crowding, take much water and embrace constant bathing to reduce heat.
