At least 24 residents of Bida, the headquarters of Bida LGA of Niger State, have been hospitalised following the outbreak of an unknown illness in the town.

Daily Trust gathered that 20 of the victims have been discharged after spending more than a week at the Federal Medical Centre and Umaru Sanda Ndayako General Hospital, Bida.

The illness, which reportedly causes sudden collapse and loss of communication abilities, has sparked widespread panic in the town.

Multiple sources told Daily Trust that the number of hospitalised victims since Monday were more than 20.

Abdulmalik Umar, a resident, told Daily Trust that two of his brothers were among those affected but had been treated and discharged after over a week in the hospital.

?There is real fear in the community. People collapse suddenly without warning. Some go to bed healthy but wake up in a critical condition or unable to speak. It?s heartbreaking,? he said.

Umar added that ?Some victims lose their ability to communicate, while others suffer paralysis. Hospitals have yet to determine the nature of the illness, but patients are being treated with malaria and typhoid medications.?

Another resident, Abdullahi Shehu, recounted how a couple fell ill overnight.

?Their infant?s cries alerted neighbours, who broke into their room to find both of them unable to speak or move,? he said.

The outbreak has been reported in several areas of Bida, including Laruta, Ekoko, Tutijiba, Banin, and Edogifu.

A source, who wished to remain anonymous, described the illness as spreading rapidly, with nearly 50 people affected so far.

?Healthy individuals suddenly collapse and fall into a coma-like state without warning. Symptoms include prolonged unconsciousness, fever, body weakness, numbness, and inability to walk or speak properly after regaining consciousness. Some victims were even foaming at the mouth during the attack,? the source said.

Many of the victims have been reportedly treated at Umaru Sanda Ndayako General Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Bida.

Ibrahim Adamu, a resident of Laruta, expressed concern over the growing panic in the community.

?As we speak, some residents have left the town. If this disease is airborne, it poses a grave threat to the state and the country at large. We urgently appeal to the authorities to intervene and address this crisis,? he said.

When contacted, the Niger State Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr. Bello Tukur, stated that the incident was a result of untreated severe typhoid and malaria.

?The Disease Surveillance Unit, Public Health Department, Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Health, Niger State received information on an outbreak of a strange illness in Bida LGA on 19/01/2025.

?On Monday, 20/01/2025, the State Rapid Response Team, led by the Assistant State Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer, visited Laruta community and FMC Bida alongside the LGA team for case investigation. The three patients on admission were stable and responding to treatment.

?The index case was reported on 9/01/2025 and involved the focal person of PHC Laruta who confirmed to us that he experienced stomach cramps and headaches before he collapsed.

?Symptoms observed in other patients included sudden onset of weakness, loss or altered consciousness, with or without fever. Total patients on admission were three (two at FMC Bida and one at Umaru Sanda Ndayako Hospital, Bida) as of Monday, 20/01/2025. Others in the hospitals have been discharged. Additionally, four patients are under observation at PHC Laruta.

?The case line list received from the Bida LGA DSNO and the investigation by the State RRT showed no deaths were recorded. The total number of cases was 24: four on admission and 20 discharged,? he said.

The commissioner clarified that no patient was referred outside Bida and noted that all patients received treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Umaru Sanda Ndayako General Hospital, and Laruta Primary Healthcare Centre, all in Bida.

He added, ?The result from blood samples taken at Federal Medical Centre and Umaru Sanda Ndayako General Hospital showed that the affected individuals were in keeping with poorly treated malaria and typhoid fever.?

According to Dr. Tukur, the following provisional diagnoses are being worked with: ?poorly treated malaria, typhoid, and hypersomnolence due to diphenhydramine.?

He further stated that the State Government and Bida LGA had sensitized residents on environmental hygiene, personal hygiene, and adequate nutrition. Active case searches were also conducted at both health facilities and within the community.

Dr. Tukur revealed that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) had been notified, and blood samples had been collected for laboratory investigations. (Daily Trust)

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