Health Authorities Dispute Mysterious Disease Claims in Gombe State, Nigeria After Investigation 

By: Modupe Adeniyi. Freelance Health Reporter.

Despite earlier reports of deaths from an unidentified illness in Gombe State, State health officials have denied any mysterious disease outbreak after on-site assessments. 

Map of Nigeria showing Gombe State, Nigeria. Click on image to enlarge.

February 28, 2024. Earlier claims of a mysterious disease outbreak in Gombe State, Nigeria resulting in over 30 deaths have been denied by State health authorities following further investigation. 

The symptoms of the mysterious disease were alleged to include severe headache, stomach pain, vomiting, smelly stool. legs and general body pain which ultimately ended in death of the persons affected. 

The allegation was made by Abdullahi El-Rasheed the Honourable member representing Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in Abuja during plenary on Tuesday while moving a motion of public importance.

However, the Gombe State Health Commissioner, Dr Habu Dahiru, has denied that any strange single affliction caused an outbreak after deploying an Emergency Response Team (ERT) of Epidemiologists and other experts to assess the local situation directly.

In a statement credited to the State Health Commissioner, Dr. Dahiru explained that  “the team, on arrival, carried out an investigation on the number of deaths as contained in the social media speculations and found out that only three people had died under the period as against 20 reported on the social media''. 

Dr Dahiru further added that “there were cases of diseases that turned out to be mild illness, and we have taken samples and most of them returned negative. As such, there was no outbreak of any disease in Nafada as erroneously reported in the social media” .

He urged the “people of Nafada not to panic as the three deaths recorded were not as a result of any outbreak of a strange disease but normal diseases”.

Despite the initial speculation and calls for urgent action from legislators, updated information indicates no crisis-level threat existed in the region per health authorities. Continued monitoring and testing is maintained however to keep citizens safe from future outbreak possibilities.

While the safety and health of Gombe State residents remains an utmost priority for leaders, state health officials stated "no evidence supports rumors of a deadly disease afflicting Nafada presently."

They vowed to keep investigating leads and respond to any public health risks should they emerge locally. Nafada residents are urged to remain vigilant but calm as assessments continue.

Published: February 28, 2024

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