Zamfara rules out Ebola outbreak after investigating 30 deaths
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Leadership
Zamfara State epidemiologist Ahmad Muhammad Gusau has ruled out an Ebola outbreak for now in Shinkafi, where about 30 deaths are being investigated. A rapid response team is investigating an illness with symptoms similar to malaria and awaiting test results, according to Nigeria’s Ministry of Health.
Zamfara State in north-western Nigeria has ruled out an Ebola outbreak in Shinkafi Local Government Area, where about 30 deaths have been reported. Health authorities have nevertheless sent samples to the national reference laboratory to determine the cause of an illness with malaria-like symptoms, according to state epidemiologist Ahmad Muhammad Gusau, quoted by Leadership on Monday.
A rapid response team deployed on Sunday is examining patients and the situation at Shinkafi General Hospital. No patients with bleeding, one of the main signs associated with Ebola and viral haemorrhagic fevers, have been reported there. Initial tests will look for dengue, chikungunya or another febrile illness, Ahmad Muhammad Gusau said.
The deaths cannot yet be directly attributed to the illness under investigation, as some patients also had diabetes, hypertension or other chronic conditions. The investigation follows the 17 negative Ebola tests out of 18 in Nigeria, announced on 2 November.
