Senate Raises Alarm Over Strange Epidemic Outbreak In Benue

• Calls On Health Ministry To Investigate Disease, As Death Toll Hits 15, Infected Persons 104

The Senate has raised alarm over the outbreak of a strange epidemic on January 29, 2020, in Oye-Obi Local Government Area of Benue State.

 

The upper chamber, accordingly, urged the Federal Ministry of Health to immediately mobilize focal persons to the area to investigate and ascertain the nature of the disease which has so far claimed fifteen lives.

 

The Senate also urged the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to promptly put up surveillance to contain the disease, see to the treatment of victims and protect others from contacting it.

 

These were resolutions reached sequel to the consideration of a motion brought to the floor by Senator Abba Moro (PDP – Benue South) during plenary on Thursday.

 

According to him, the first victims of the epidemic outbreak are: Happiness Ogbo, Onajobi Ogbedu, Wisdom Agwo, Andy Edu, all of whom died 48 hours after contacting the undiagnosed disease.

 

He added that the disease, which is yet to be diagnosed by health authorities and medical experts in Benue State, has symptoms such as headache, internal heat, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach ache, weakness of the body and swollen stomach.

 

“As at Monday, February 3, 2020, the number of persons affected with the strange epidemic has risen to one hundred and four,” Senator Moro lamented.