At least 10 people, mostly women, children, and the elderly, have died following an outbreak of acute diarrhoea in Yola North and Yola South Local Government Areas of Adamawa State.
The death toll could rise as several victims remain in critical condition at the hospital.
Adamawa State Commissioner for Health, Mr. Felix Tangwami, confirmed the outbreak while speaking to journalists in Yola on Wednesday. He provided an update on the situation, which began on Monday, stating that 300 others had been admitted to Yola Specialist Hospital, with many still in serious condition.
“Those on danger with serious cases have been isolated for medical attention at the Infectious Disease Center of the Specialist Hospital,” Tangwami said.
While some patients have been treated and discharged, new cases continue to emerge. Despite the challenging situation, Tangwami assured the public that the outbreak is under control.
“The situation, though rough, is still within the scope of the government as everything humanly possible is being done to contain the outbreak,” he assured.
The commissioner also noted that samples from the affected patients have been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for further analysis, with results expected soon.
“The government is not hiding anything but following due process in handling sensitive, life-threatening health concerns. We hope to know the outcome of the results of the samples in the next 24 hours,” Tangwami added.
However, he clarified that there is no confirmation yet that the outbreak is cholera. “For now, nobody can confirm that what we are facing is a cholera outbreak until all necessary analysis is conducted thoroughly and results are out,” he stated.
He further explained that Adamawa lacks the necessary PCR testing equipment, so the samples were sent to Abuja for confirmation, which would take about 48 hours.
Tangwami urged the public to avoid making assumptions about the outbreak and to rely on expert advice in health-related matters.
