Yellow fever cause of strange deaths in Enugu, others – FG

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Federal Government has attributed the cause of strange deaths in Enugu and other states to yellow fever.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said: “Yes there was an outbreak that started in Delta and was found in Enugu and then two other states making it a total of four states. The analysis we have done so far shows it is yellow fever. So the response has been going on from National Center for Disease (NCDC), vaccination is going on in all these areas.
“Few days ago, there was also a report from a member of the National Assembly saying that in his constituency there is unexplained illnesses and deaths and that alarm also immediately triggered a response, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control has been directed to go and carry out investigation.
“As we speak they have to collect samples, do tests and do some laboratory investigations before we are sure exactly what it is and what the cause is. So the response is going on automatically and we shall get result very soon.”
Enugu State has been battling to contain the outbreak of the disease in two communities – Ette Uno and Umuopu – in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state but it has now spread to the third, Nsukka, Isi-Uzo.
Delta State had recently reported that no fewer than 22 deaths have been recorded in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state due to the outbreak of the disease.
Meanwhile, Ehanire and his counterpart in the Ministry of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu briefed Council on their interface with stakeholders in their respective states as regards #ENDSARS protests.
Sulieman said no incident was recorded in his home State, Jigawa and Sokoto states and commended the youths for adhering to President Mohammadu Buhari’s appeal.
Ehanire, said he met with stakeholders in Edo and Delta states over the protests and reported on incidences that occurred to the Federal Executive Council meeting.
Recall that President Mohammadu Buhari had recently asked his ministers to relocate to their respective home states for the purpose of dousing the tension created by the #ENDSARS protests and the lawlessness that followed.