Published Date: 2012-12-07 14:50:57
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed fatalities - Nigeria: (AD) RFI
Archive Number: 20121207.1442547

UNDIAGNOSED FATALITIES - NIGERIA: (ADAMAWA) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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Date: Fri 7 Dec 2012
Source: All Africa, Daily Trust report [edited]
http://allafrica.com/stories/201212070831.html


At least 5 people have been confirmed dead, while 70 others are lying critically ill at the hospital following an outbreak of a yet to be diagnosed ailment. It was gathered that over 200 households in the border area of Mubi-South in Adamawa State have been affected.

On Wednesday [5 Dec 2012], Usman Lamorde, member representing Mubi-South in the state House of Assembly, confirmed the death toll, saying the nature of the disease has not been determined.

Speaking on the floor of the House, Usman Lamorde said over 200 households were affected in Nduku-Seranyi village. "This disease comes without warning, and by the time it is discovered, it's too late. The disease is characterized by excessive vomiting, diarrhoea, high fever, and in some instances, coughing, hence the need for urgent intervention," he said.

Following the motion, Speaker of the state Assembly, Umaru Ahmad Fintiri, ordered that health officials be deployed with immediate effect to curtail the spread of the disease.

When contacted, the state's Commissioner for Health, Mrs Lilian Stephen, said disease control personnel have moved to the affected areas, and that the state government is waiting for the outcome of the specimen sent for analysis.

According to her, samples have since been sent to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Gombe for analysis.

[Byline: Ibrahim Abdul'Aziz]

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[Checking the newswires for additional information on the outbreak mentioned above revealed that there has been flooding in Adamawa state recently (http://nigeria.news24.com/National/News/Adamawa-procures-fertiliser-for-flood-victims-20121203). The history of recent flooding followed by an outbreak of a febrile illness with gastrointestinal symptoms (excessive vomiting and diarrhea) and, as mentioned above, some respiratory component (coughing) suggests diseases that are more prone in the rainy season including such diseases known to have rodents as intermediate hosts and where there is exposure to rodents and their excretions, such as Lassa fever, Ebola virus disease, and leptospirosis to mention a few. Of note, there was a report of Lassa fever outbreak activity in Taraba state earlier this year (February 2012 -- see ProMED-mail Lassa fever - Nigeria: (03) (TA), fatalities 20120211.1039402). In another report in February 2012, there was mention of Lassa fever cases in Edo, Nasarawa, Plateau, Ebonyi, Taraba, Yobe, Ondo, Rivers, Gombe, Anambra, Delta, and Lagos (see ProMED-mail Lassa fever - Nigeria (04) 20120223.1050129). Another illness that manifests with excessive vomiting and diarrhea is cholera, although high fever is not often seen with cholera.

More information on the results of laboratory and epidemiologic studies of this outbreak would be greatly appreciated.

Adamawa state is located in the northeastern part of Nigeria. Bordering states include Borno to the northwest, Gombe to the west, and Taraba to the southwest. It shares its eastern border with Cameroon. For a map of Nigeria showing states, see http://www.mapsofworld.com/nigeria/nigeria-political-map.html. For the HealthMap/ProMED map of Nigeria see http://healthmap.org/r/4s3R. - Mod.MPP]

See Also

Lassa fever - Nigeria (09): (LA) alert 20120910.1288665
Lassa fever - Nigeria (08): update 20120714.1201872
Lassa fever - Nigeria (07): neglected disease 20120709.1195196
Lassa fever - Nigeria (06) travel alert 20120428.1117076
Lassa fever - Nigeria (05): WHO 20120405.1091520
Lassa fever - Nigeria (04) 20120223.1050129
Lassa fever - Nigeria: (03) (TA), fatalities 20120211.1039402
Lassa fever - Nigeria (02): (RS) 20120129.1025736
Lassa fever - Nigeria: (EB) nosocomial 20120119.1015405
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012 (50): Africa 20121126.1424886
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012 (42): Africa 20120830.1261387
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012 (34): Africa, Asia 20120726.1214750
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012 (33): Africa, Asia 20120724.1211703
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012 (31): Africa, Asia 20120716.1202434
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012 (06): Africa 20120302.1057887
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