Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed that its preliminary findings indicate that yellow fever could be solely responsible for the sudden and unexplained deaths in some communities in Enugu and Delta states.
NCDC confirmed that it was notified a few days ago by the health ministries in the two states, noting that the cases presented with symptoms indicative of a viral haemorrhagic fever, notably fever, headache, fatigue, jaundice and vomiting (with or without blood), among others.
It confirmed that three samples from Delta State and one from Enugu State tested positive for yellow fever at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Laboratory, Edo State, and NCDC’s National Reference Laboratory, Gaduwa, Abuja.
In a statement issued yesterday, NCDC assured that the affected states were being supported in the response to contain the suspected outbreak of yellow fever.
The statement reads in part: “More samples are being tested from both states to confirm the causative organism of the outbreak. However, the state epidemiology teams are leading the response with support from NCDC, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
“An incident management system has been activated to coordinate response activities, and Rapid Response Teams (RRT) have been deployed to both states.
“Additionally, NCDC and tate RRTs are carrying out active case search, risk communications and community engagement as well as ensuring prompt management of cases.”
NCDC, however, announced that NPHCDA is working with the affected states to plan a vaccination campaign, given that “Yellow Fever is a vaccine-preventable disease and a single shot of the vaccine could provide lifetime immunity.”
In a related development, the Enugu State government confirmed that the strange illness, which claimed lives in Ette Uno and Umuopu communities of Enugu Ezike town in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state was caused by an outbreak of Yellow Fever disease.
A statement by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, stated that the disease was confirmed “through verifiable diagnostic tests. He further disclosed that an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) had been established in collaboration with NCDC and other implementing partners in the state, noting that members of the EOC had met to articulate the next specific steps to effectively respond to and control the disease in Igboeze North LGA, and prevent its spread in Enugu State.
His words: “We are collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and with nearby states to prevent its spread within Nigeria. The General Hospital, Enugu Ezike, and other hospitals in the state are prepared to provide the supportive treatment needed for Yellow Fever.