An outbreak of Yellow fever in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State has claimed 115 lives

Though locals say so far 115 people have died from the disease, government insists that only 18 died in the three weeks that the disease broke out in the area.

A former councillor of Kogari Ward, Malam Sule Ibrahim, said the disease first hit Kogari ward before moving to Unguwar-Sarka community.

He said, “in the past three weeks, we have recorded over 115 deaths”.

However, when contacted, the Executive Secretary of the state Primary Health Care Development agency, Dr Shamsu Ahmad said, “it is a suspected case of Yellow fever, and based on our line list and documentation, 45 people fell ill, and 18 deaths were recorded. As at today (Monday) there are 45 cases on ground. Of those ill, 11 blood samples were taken, five results turned out negative of Yellow fever and we are awaiting the result of six others. We normally take the samples to Abuja and Lagos for confirmation because we don’t have the facility to do it here”.

He said only recently, 6,729,000 people were immunised against Yellow fever across the state.

Sources also confirmed that there was vaccination at Kogari area of Matazu LGA, where the recent outbreak started.

It would be recalled that over a month ago suspected bandits residing in Danmusa forest axis had approached a team of vaccinators to accompany them into the forest to vaccinate some inhabitants, following death of some of their members from Yellow fever.

Their demand, it was gathered, was as a result of the death of a notorious kidnap kingpin, Alhaji TK and 11 others who had been terrorising Katsina and Zamfara. Many people however mistook their death as a “curse following intense prayers over their attacks”, and they celebrated the development. (Daily Trust)

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