- cAll the aces have been registered in the city of Sokoto, in the northwest of the country.
- The disease has affected at least 164 people, mainly children between 4 and 13 years old.
Four people have died and dozens have fallen ill from a “strange” disease in Nigeria.
All cases have occurred in Sokoto, in the northwest of the country, near the border with Niger.
Concerned health chiefs have been sent to the area to investigate the nature of the illness.
Details on what the actual illness is are scarce.
Local media reported that some people suffered symptoms such as fever, vomiting, sudden weight loss and abdominal swelling.
All deaths have been recorded as of March 21.
In total, 164 cases have been recorded, mainly in children between four and 13 years old, throughout the area.
Of them, four patients were hospitalized.
Another 130 have received treatment at home or at local primary care centers.
At a press conference in the country’s capital, Abuja, on Tuesday, the Director-General of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris, said that “in particular, this is not the first case,” according to the Nigerian Observer.
And he added: “In 2023, a similar incident was documented. That did not have a conclusive diagnosis.”
All cases were recorded in the city of Sokoto (pictured), in the northwest of the country, near the border with Niger. Concerned health chiefs have been sent to the area to investigate the nature of the illness.
“The results indicate varying levels of lead and chromium in blood samples, prompting scrutiny of local activities such as mining and agricultural practices involving the use of chemicals.”
However, he noted: ‘Collaborative efforts extend beyond health institutions, encompassing government agencies, research bodies and community stakeholders.
“At the moment, security concerns hinder access to affected areas, complicating response efforts.”
Communities affected by the outbreak should be alert, he urged, and immediately report any potential symptoms to local health centers.
Nigeria has recently been hit by outbreaks of Lassa fever, with more than 150 deaths recorded across the country since January.
The rodent-borne disease is believed to cause no symptoms in 80 percent of patients and kills only one percent of those infected.
People usually become infected with Lassa fever after exposure to food or household items contaminated with the urine or feces of infected rats.
But the virus, which can cause women to bleed from the vagina and cause seizures, can also be transmitted through bodily fluids.
Last year, the country also battled a deadly diphtheria outbreak, which killed more than 600 people, mainly children.
This highly contagious bacterial infection primarily affects the nose and throat. It can also infect the skin and cause painful lesions.