Strange disease kills 50 in Kogi community

An outbreak of epidemic disease has claimed over 50 lives in a community in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Those struck by the disease, which has not been properly diagnosed, reportedly exhibited symptoms such as headache, red eye, loss of appetite, inability to urinate or defecate and convulsion.

The lawmaker representing Olamaboro Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly, Ujah Alewo, in a motion of urgent public importance presented on Tuesday at the plenary of the state House of Assembly expressed concern about the delay in combating the disease.

He added that the epidemic had caused panic among residents of Etteh community in the local government area as they did not know the cause of the disease killing those infected within one week of contracting it.

He said, “More worrisome, all efforts to seek a solution, using the local herbs and treatment at local health centres with referrals to neighbouring clinics and hospitals at Ogugu and Okpo in Olamaboro respectively, were not successful.

“The reports reaching my constituency office from the community leaders confirmed that over 50 people within the economic and productive age of 25 to 40 years died from September to date, thereby stalling agricultural, social and economic activities, which directly affect the food security of the agrarian and artisan Etteh people.”

He prayed that the house should mandate its Committee on Health and Social Services to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of damage to lives and property to the people of Etteh community.

Alewo urged the legislature to appeal to the state government to send palliatives to the affected areas.

The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed, in his submission, said since the community shares boundary with Enugu State, there was a need for an urgent action to avert further loss of lives.

He suggested an additional prayer that the state government should build a hospital in the community to avert a future epidemic.

The Speaker, Matthew Kolawole, said the House should write to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja for support.