Yellow fever outbreak; dozens dead in Bauchi State

The Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, has disclosed that the death toll in the recent Yellow Fever outbreak in the State has risen to 16 out of 20 confirmed cases.

Mohammed who gave the updates in an interview with newsmen in his office in Bauchi at the weekend said the increase in the death toll followed the rejection of vaccination by some citizens during the statewide vaccination.

According to him, no fewer than 119 suspected cases of Yellow fever were recorded in the state out of which 20 cases were confirmed and 16 died.

He said: “We realise that all the people that rejected vaccination are the ones dying. The last three victims four days ago refused the vaccine and all three were infected.

“They took them to a traditional healer who did his own work but the two were still unconscious. They were later taken to Bauchi but all of them died.”

He said all the cases were from Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state.

The Primary Health Executive Secretary explained that, “We are planning to go into all the confirmed areas, about 55 places on Monday to carry out a door spraying of all the lava sights and fumigation of all the communities.”

He disclosed that for visitors coming to Yankari Games Reserves, where the first three confirmed cases of Yellow Fever were recorded, vaccination points have been created while all the chalets have mosquito nets to ensure that guests are protected.

Mohammed disclosed that at least 21 states in Nigeria have Yellow fever outbreak while only three states -Bauchi, Katsina and Ebonyi States are now active.