Six children die of measles, whooping cough in Jigawa
Six children die of measles, whooping cough in Jigawa
No fewer than six children under the age of five died in an outbreak of measles and whopping cough in Sule-tankarkar Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
Malam Mohammed Maisamari, the Head of Department for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in the local council, confirmed the outbreak of the diseases in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Sule-Tankarkar.
Maisamari said Maizare community was the worse hit in the local government, adding that six deaths were recorded in the community among the six villages affected by the diseases.
He said the report of the outbreak was received by the council on March 1, adding that health officials were making efforts to curtail the spread of the diseases.
Maisamari said the council had mobilised a team of health workers to the affected communities to treat all the children who had contracted either of the diseases.
He said 249 children, who were infected by the diseases, had been treated.
He said the council would intensify health education campaign to enlighten the rural dwellers on the need to embrace immunisation.
NAN.
