Three dead , 284 hospitalized as strange disease hits Kano

The Kano State Government has confirmed the death of three persons and 284 infections from a strange disease outbreak in the State

The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim-Tsanyawa, confirmed the outbreak of the disease at a news conference in Kano.

Ibrahim-Tsanyawa said that the infected persons are presently receiving treatment in 25 health facilities across the State.

The Commissioner revealed that the disease, whose outbreak was recorded on March 10, was suspected to be caused by consumption of contaminated flavour and a brand of expired instant drink products.

Ibrahim-Tsanyawa noted that 284 persons were infected with the disease in 13 local government areas of the state, adding that 101 of them had been discharged, with 183 currently on admission.

He said the affected areas as Dala; Gwale, Kano Municipal, Fage, Ungogo, Kumbotso, Tarauni, Bunkure, Rano, Dawakinjudu, Dawakin Tofa, Gwarzo and Danbatta.

“The index is a six-year old girl who developed abdominal pain, vomiting, jaundice and urine with blood (hematuria) after drinking water bought from a vendor.

“The vendor was said to have sourced the water from a borehole at a cemetery in the metropolis.

“The assumption involves instant drink flavour powder and a variety of salt for industrial use (caustic powder).

“Water, blood and different instant drink flavour powder samples have been taken for tests to pin down a diagnosis, ranging from food-borne disease, food poisoning, Lassa Fever, Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever, Chemical poisoning to Toxix Hepatitis,” he said.