Fear has gripped Zamfara residents after cerbro spinal meningitis has hit the state again killing about five people while a dozen treated Daily Trust has learnt.
About five people died and a dozen of others hospitalized at Sankalawa village in Bungudu local government area of the state. An official in the local government who craved for anonymity told our correspondent.
"The local government has responded swiftly by sending a medical team with appropriate drugs and even those receiving treatment after the death of those five I have told you about, were discharged and there is no one meningitis patient in the clinic as I’m talking to you," he added.
In March last year, more than 200 persons died after minigitis had hit the state hard. hundreds of others were also hospitlazed and treated.
Another official in the state ministry of health said the cebro spinal meningitis has hit many local government areas of the state and figures of dead and affected persons are being collected at the office of the Director of public health of the ministry.
"Yes, figures are trickling in everyday because there is a surveillance team in each of the local government monitoring the situation and then reporting back to the ministry, " he added.
However, when contacted the director public health in the state Dr Habib Yelwa referred our reporter to the state commissioner for health for information. "I can’t tell you anything now but talk to the commissioner of health"
The state commissioner of health Alhaji Sulaiman Adamu Gummi could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report. He did not responHe did not respond to several phone calls put to him.
A resident Hamisu Aliyu said he was shocked when he heard that meningitis has resurfaced in the state despite the cold whether and harmattan wind blowing in some northern states.
"We are appealing to the state government to start administering vaccine to the residents before the situation goes out of hand. They say "a stich in time saves nine".