By Yusuf Ladan
The Kebbi State Government has confirmed an outbreak of meningitis in three Local Government Areas (LGAs), with 26 deaths recorded so far.
The State Commissioner for Health, Yanusa Ismail, disclosed this during a press conference in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
He revealed that a total of 248 suspected cases have been recorded, with 11 samples taken for examination, out of which three have been confirmed negative.
According to the commissioner, the affected LGAs are Gwandu, Aleiro, and Jega. He provided a breakdown of the fatalities as follows: 18 in Gwandu, six in Jega, four in Aleiro, and one in Argungu.
In response to the outbreak, the Kebbi State Government has approved ₦30 million for the procurement of drugs to contain the spread of the disease.
The commissioner urged the public to maintain personal hygiene and avoid crowded places to reduce the risk of infection.
He also confirmed that isolation centres have been set up to manage cases.
He added that samples have been sent to Abuja for further testing, and if confirmed, the state government will request vaccines to prevent further spread.
Meanwhile, Channels Television has learned that a case was also detected at Aleiro State University of Science and Technology, resulting in one death.
The commissioner confirmed this development and advised the university authorities to take measures to decongest student hostels.
