Two Dead, 160 Hospitalised As Strange Disease Spreads In Kano

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Two persons have reportedly been killed while over 160 have taken ill over suspected food poisoning in Kano State. 

It was gathered that all the patients had taken expired citric acid powdered drinks.

The products, which expired a year ago, were still being sold in the market.

The Kano State Ministry of Health has confirmed that the affected patients are showing symptoms of haematuria (bloody urine), dark urine, fever, lethargy and sometimes yellowness of the eyes (jaundice). The state’s epidemiologist, Dr Bashir Lawan, said the index case was a six-year-old girl seen on March 6, 2021.

“We initially suspected viral haemarhagic, fever, but the test results came back from the National Reference Laboratory as negative for yellow fever and Lassa fever. But we are waiting for a on  Dengue fever,” Dr Lawan said.

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He explained that the outbreak had spread to eight local government areas, including Gwale, Kano Municipal, Dla, Bunkure, Fagge, Gwarzo and Dawakin Tofa. He also confirmed that water sample was taken from Dandolo cemetery’s borehole for analysis to consider other potential causes of the outbreak.

He added that about 3 samples of expired mixed fruit and citric acid powder were available for laboratory testing to confirm the link to either expired ingredients or preservatives, while four additional samples were taken for heavy metals and leptospirosis screening, among other technical response activities.

Meanwhile, the state government has provided a list of hospitals designated for patients affected by this outbreak to be admitted for treatment. The hospitals include Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital and Infectious Disease Hospital.

Others are Shaikh Muhamamd Jidda Hospital, Shehu Waziri Gidado Hospital, Rano General Hospital and two hospitals in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area.

During a visit to the Infectious Disease Hospital with over 30 patients on admission, Daily Trust learnt that they were suffering serious abdominal pain, vomiting and blood trace in their urine.

In the meantime, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has collected water samples and flavour products for laboratory analysis following the outbreak of the strange infectious disease in Kano metropolis. The state coordinator of the NAFDAC, Shaba Muhammad, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano on Monday that the samples were referred to its laboratory in Kaduna for analysis.