Published Date: 2017-08-11 21:19:35
Subject: PRO/EDR> Hemorrhagic disease - Nigeria: RFI
Archive Number: 20170811.5244725
HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE - NIGERIA: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
************************************************** ****
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Fri 11 Aug 2017
Source: Punch [edited]
http://punchng.com/confusion-as-stra...ara-community/
There is confusion in Oro-Ago community, in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, as leaders and members say no fewer than 70 persons have died of a strange illness.
They told one of our correspondents that the illness was predominant among the Fulani settlers called the Bororos in the community. It was gathered that a large number of the Bororos had died since the outbreak of the strange illness on 23 Jul 2017.
Those who spoke with The PUNCH include the Oloro of Oro-Ago, Oba Tafa Dada; the President, Oro-Ago Development Union, Olaniyi Olushosa; a community member, who identified himself simply as Taiwo; and another concerned person, identified as Stephen. According to them, those affected by the illness would 1st vomit blood and some black substances.
They said families had been devastated and called on government to come to their aid.
Olushosa said the death toll as a result of the strange illness had hit 70 in 2 weeks. He added that he had reported the matter to the state Ministry of Health in Ilorin through a doctor that he identified simply as Dr. Lawal.
He said: "It is worrisome that the Oro-Ago General Hospital had been abandoned and left dilapidated. No health workers, nothing; right now, our community lacks health centres."
The ODU President called on the Kwara State Government as well as other relevant bodies to visit the community and stop the harvest of death.
He said: "The death toll has reached about 70 in 2 weeks. Those affected are mostly the Fulani people. The matter has been reported to the Ministry of Health.
Oba Dada also confirmed the outbreak of the strange illness. He said he sent Olushosa to report the sad development to the Ministry of Health in Ilorin. He said: "It is true that a strange illness has hit some members of Oro-Ago. The affected people vomited blood and some black substances. That is the report that I got. I was also told that many people have died; that was why I sent the ODU president to the ministry of health."
A resident said the strange illness started on 23 Jul 2017. He claimed that no fewer than 120 people had died. He said about 5 persons died on Thu [10 Aug 2017] on the way to the General Hospital, Omu-Oran. He explained that 74 people died in Michede, in Oro-Ago, between 23 Jul and Thu 10 Aug 2017. He added that 36 people died at Gaa Wakil along Oreke Road, Oro-Ago, between Sun 6 Aug and Thu 10 Aug 2017.
According to him, 14 people died at Orisa via Ahun in Oro. He also said that 4 people died on Wed [9 Aug 2017], while 5 died on Thu [10 Aug 2017]. He said: "Since 23 Jul 2017, we have been experiencing a strange disease around the Oro-Ago area. About 120 people have died. The symptoms are usually intermittent headaches and serious stomach pain. If it starts, between 1-1.5 hours, they would start vomiting blood. Those who were unable to vomit blood will die within 6 hours. But those who vomited blood would stay for about 3 days before they die. We have called the attention of the state Ministry of Health. We have not seen anybody."
Stephen also said that many people had died in the community.
But the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Suliaman Aloge, said there was no strange illness in the area.
He said people were making unnecessary claims because they wanted a functional health centre in the area. He, however, said he got a report that a woman died on Tue [8 Aug 2017] of cancer.
Aloge said: "The Public Health Department, through the Epidemiological Unit, has investigated, and such a thing is not recorded. There is no outbreak of any strange illness in Oro-Ago. Why some people raised the alarm is that the worker at the health centre in Oro-Ago was transferred and has not been replaced. I have directed relevant units to move another nurse to the health centre.
"I was informed that only one woman died, on Tue [8 Aug 2017]. She died of a confirmed case of cancer. There is nothing like outbreak of illness in that community."
However, doctors and experts who spoke to our correspondents on Thu [10 Aug 2017] said the symptoms described by the victims were suggestive of a viral haemorrhagic disease.
A surgeon, Dr Adekunle Ashimi, said the symptoms could be indicative of Lassa fever.
Ashimi said: "I know that there was or is a cholera outbreak, but the symptoms described here do not fit cholera. It appears they have another viral haemorrhagic disease from the family of Ebola and Lassa. But samples need to be collected and analysed to get a conclusive diagnosis."
Corroborating his colleague's view, a medical practitioner, Dr Adeoye Oyewole, said it could either be a situation aggravated by local poisoning or Lassa fever.
Adeoye said: "I would say a high index for Lassa infection. Also, considering the population and the mortality figure, it could be poisoning. Let's not forget that Lassa itself is poisoning of food by rat faeces and urine. There is a local factor in that place that is poisoning their collective food or water intake. A lot of analyses are required."
The Director, Institute for Molecular Science and Biotechnology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Dr Ayokunle Afolabi-Toye, said a blood toxicological screening would yield some insight into an accurate diagnosis of the disease.
He noted that epidemiologists and relevant health authorities in the state needed to confirm the deaths.
Afolabi-Toye said: "I would 1st explore the possibility of chemical poisons in the community. Not enough symptoms are reported, and the sequence and timing of appearance of symptoms is not indicated either. But blood toxicological screening will yield some insights."
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Black vomit is usually caused by bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Any of the hemorrhagic viruses might cause black vomit. These include Ebola, Lassa, Marburg, and yellow fever, among others.
Lassa fever, suggested in the report, is a viral disease carried by rats of the genus _Mastomys_ and is endemic in portions of West Africa. Infection occurs through direct contact with, or consumption of food contaminated by, rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rates can reach 50 percent in epidemic outbreaks.
In severe cases of yellow fever, in 15 percent of cases, people enter a 2nd, toxic phase of the disease, with recurring fever, accompanied by jaundice due to liver damage, and abdominal pain. Bleeding in the mouth, the eyes, and the gastrointestinal tract cause vomit containing blood, hence the Spanish name for yellow fever, vomito negro ("black vomit").
ProMED awaits test results from these patients. Any information on these cases that knowledgeable sources may have would be appreciated.
Subject: PRO/EDR> Hemorrhagic disease - Nigeria: RFI
Archive Number: 20170811.5244725
HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE - NIGERIA: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
************************************************** ****
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Fri 11 Aug 2017
Source: Punch [edited]
http://punchng.com/confusion-as-stra...ara-community/
There is confusion in Oro-Ago community, in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, as leaders and members say no fewer than 70 persons have died of a strange illness.
They told one of our correspondents that the illness was predominant among the Fulani settlers called the Bororos in the community. It was gathered that a large number of the Bororos had died since the outbreak of the strange illness on 23 Jul 2017.
Those who spoke with The PUNCH include the Oloro of Oro-Ago, Oba Tafa Dada; the President, Oro-Ago Development Union, Olaniyi Olushosa; a community member, who identified himself simply as Taiwo; and another concerned person, identified as Stephen. According to them, those affected by the illness would 1st vomit blood and some black substances.
They said families had been devastated and called on government to come to their aid.
Olushosa said the death toll as a result of the strange illness had hit 70 in 2 weeks. He added that he had reported the matter to the state Ministry of Health in Ilorin through a doctor that he identified simply as Dr. Lawal.
He said: "It is worrisome that the Oro-Ago General Hospital had been abandoned and left dilapidated. No health workers, nothing; right now, our community lacks health centres."
The ODU President called on the Kwara State Government as well as other relevant bodies to visit the community and stop the harvest of death.
He said: "The death toll has reached about 70 in 2 weeks. Those affected are mostly the Fulani people. The matter has been reported to the Ministry of Health.
Oba Dada also confirmed the outbreak of the strange illness. He said he sent Olushosa to report the sad development to the Ministry of Health in Ilorin. He said: "It is true that a strange illness has hit some members of Oro-Ago. The affected people vomited blood and some black substances. That is the report that I got. I was also told that many people have died; that was why I sent the ODU president to the ministry of health."
A resident said the strange illness started on 23 Jul 2017. He claimed that no fewer than 120 people had died. He said about 5 persons died on Thu [10 Aug 2017] on the way to the General Hospital, Omu-Oran. He explained that 74 people died in Michede, in Oro-Ago, between 23 Jul and Thu 10 Aug 2017. He added that 36 people died at Gaa Wakil along Oreke Road, Oro-Ago, between Sun 6 Aug and Thu 10 Aug 2017.
According to him, 14 people died at Orisa via Ahun in Oro. He also said that 4 people died on Wed [9 Aug 2017], while 5 died on Thu [10 Aug 2017]. He said: "Since 23 Jul 2017, we have been experiencing a strange disease around the Oro-Ago area. About 120 people have died. The symptoms are usually intermittent headaches and serious stomach pain. If it starts, between 1-1.5 hours, they would start vomiting blood. Those who were unable to vomit blood will die within 6 hours. But those who vomited blood would stay for about 3 days before they die. We have called the attention of the state Ministry of Health. We have not seen anybody."
Stephen also said that many people had died in the community.
But the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Suliaman Aloge, said there was no strange illness in the area.
He said people were making unnecessary claims because they wanted a functional health centre in the area. He, however, said he got a report that a woman died on Tue [8 Aug 2017] of cancer.
Aloge said: "The Public Health Department, through the Epidemiological Unit, has investigated, and such a thing is not recorded. There is no outbreak of any strange illness in Oro-Ago. Why some people raised the alarm is that the worker at the health centre in Oro-Ago was transferred and has not been replaced. I have directed relevant units to move another nurse to the health centre.
"I was informed that only one woman died, on Tue [8 Aug 2017]. She died of a confirmed case of cancer. There is nothing like outbreak of illness in that community."
However, doctors and experts who spoke to our correspondents on Thu [10 Aug 2017] said the symptoms described by the victims were suggestive of a viral haemorrhagic disease.
A surgeon, Dr Adekunle Ashimi, said the symptoms could be indicative of Lassa fever.
Ashimi said: "I know that there was or is a cholera outbreak, but the symptoms described here do not fit cholera. It appears they have another viral haemorrhagic disease from the family of Ebola and Lassa. But samples need to be collected and analysed to get a conclusive diagnosis."
Corroborating his colleague's view, a medical practitioner, Dr Adeoye Oyewole, said it could either be a situation aggravated by local poisoning or Lassa fever.
Adeoye said: "I would say a high index for Lassa infection. Also, considering the population and the mortality figure, it could be poisoning. Let's not forget that Lassa itself is poisoning of food by rat faeces and urine. There is a local factor in that place that is poisoning their collective food or water intake. A lot of analyses are required."
The Director, Institute for Molecular Science and Biotechnology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Dr Ayokunle Afolabi-Toye, said a blood toxicological screening would yield some insight into an accurate diagnosis of the disease.
He noted that epidemiologists and relevant health authorities in the state needed to confirm the deaths.
Afolabi-Toye said: "I would 1st explore the possibility of chemical poisons in the community. Not enough symptoms are reported, and the sequence and timing of appearance of symptoms is not indicated either. But blood toxicological screening will yield some insights."
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Black vomit is usually caused by bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Any of the hemorrhagic viruses might cause black vomit. These include Ebola, Lassa, Marburg, and yellow fever, among others.
Lassa fever, suggested in the report, is a viral disease carried by rats of the genus _Mastomys_ and is endemic in portions of West Africa. Infection occurs through direct contact with, or consumption of food contaminated by, rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rates can reach 50 percent in epidemic outbreaks.
In severe cases of yellow fever, in 15 percent of cases, people enter a 2nd, toxic phase of the disease, with recurring fever, accompanied by jaundice due to liver damage, and abdominal pain. Bleeding in the mouth, the eyes, and the gastrointestinal tract cause vomit containing blood, hence the Spanish name for yellow fever, vomito negro ("black vomit").
ProMED awaits test results from these patients. Any information on these cases that knowledgeable sources may have would be appreciated.
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