[Mhiz Rebecca]

The Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Saka Audu,
on Sunday said that the alleged unknown disease
has been diagnosed to be gastroenteritis.
He, therefore, called for calmness.
The commissioner told the News Agency of Nigeria
in Lokoja that those so far diagnosed were found to
be suffering from gastroenteritis and malaria.
The state Ministry of Health, had in a statement, said
that the disease killed many people in Okunran,
Okoloke and Isanlu-Esa in Yagba West Local
Government Area.
“The current information available to us is that the
disease actually started six weeks ago in Okoloke
village in Yagba West, which is a settlement that is
predominantly inhabited by Fulani herdsmen.
“There have been cases of reported deaths following
abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, but the
patients who showed signs of illness had since been
evacuated and transported to Kogi State Specialist
Hospital Lokoja, for better treatment.
“So far, we have evacuated 39 patients from Okoloke
area and only six of them were admitted and have
shown significant sign of improvement while others
have since been discharged.
“Out of the six that were admitted, three of them
were diagnosed of gastroenteritis and the remaining
three were just cases of malaria, and they have
shown remarkable signs of improvement,” Audu
said.
He also stressed that the disease was not Lassa
fever, saying the result of samples taken from the
patients to Irua General Hospital in Edo State for
investigation proved negative.
On the 62 persons earlier reported to have died, the
commissioner said the figure was given by local
leaders in the affected areas and was yet to be
verified by government.
“We will investigate and trace the dead people to the
grave yard and come up with the correct figure.
“We want to assure the general public that
government is doing all that is humanly possible to
stay on top of the situation and forestall further loss
of lives.
“We will continue to inform the public as the
investigation progresses,” Mr. Audu said.
(NAN)