The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency has confirmed six new deaths in the yellow fever outbreak that hit the state.
With this new development, the number of people claimed by the disease has risen to 22,. According to the report, those who lost their lives complained of abdominal pains after which they vomited blood.
The Bauchi State Government on September 5 confirmed the outbreak of the killer disease in the state.
Speaking at a press conference, the Executive Secretary, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Rilwan Mohammed, said the Ministry of Health had confirmed a yellow fever case which was linked to the Yankari Game Reserve.
In an update on the disease while speaking to journalists on Monday, Mohammed said no fewer than 143 suspected cases of the disease were recorded out of which 24 cases were confirmed with 22 dead, adding that all the cases were from Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state.
Mohammed further disclosed that 10 out of the 22 people that died of the disease were rangers working with the Yankari Games Reserve.
According to him, only 79 per cent coverage has been recorded in the ongoing immunization campaign against the vector that carries the disease.
The BSPHCDA chairman, however, lamented that some people were still refusing to take the vaccine, stating that besides the 500,000 doses of vaccines provided by the Federal Government, the state had received another batch of 600,000 vaccines.
He explained that the immunisation would now be extended to Kirfi Local Government Area of the state, oil exploration sites, and some villages in nearby Gombe State.
It can be recalled that earlier, cases of yellow fever were recorded in Yankari Game Reserve in Alkaleri and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas of Bauchi State which led to the death of three people.
