Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State Government has confirmed Yellow Fever to be the strange illness that had so far claimed the lives of 20 people at Okpeilo-Otukpa in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of the State.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Ngunna Addingi, who disclosed this to newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council meeting on Monday said the result of samples collected and taken to National Reference Laboratory revealed that the disease is Yellow Fever.
Addingi explained further that due to the discovery, the State Government had resolved to vaccinate the people of the community, the council area and neighbouring Ado and Okpowku local government areas.
‘The results from which they got the test, we found out that people actually died from Yellow Fever.
‘There is a lot of results of samples that came out of all the things that were tested and the results showed Yellow Fever.
‘Our appeal to the people of Ogbadibo is that they should make themselves available for vaccination because the governor has said that people should be vaccinated not only in Ogbadigbo but also the close- by council areas such as Okpokwu and Ado local government areas,’ she said.
Meanwhile, the Information Commissioner revealed that the State Executive Council has also approved the sum of N62.1 million for the Benue Youth Summit that is billed to hold from November 25 to November 27.