No fewer than 24 residents of Bida in Niger State have been hospitalized, following the outbreak of a strange disease in the area which has caused panic among residents.
While 20 patients have already been discharged after more than a week of treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) and Umaru Sanda Ndayako General Hospital, three others remain under medical care.
The fears of the residents were that medical experts have not been able to determine causes of the ailment that causes sudden collapse and loss of communication abilities for anyone that contracted it.
Aside from that, it was gathered that the patients reportedly experienced symptoms such as sudden weakness, altered consciousness, and hypersomnolence, sometimes accompanied by fever.
The Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr. Bello Tukur, attributed the outbreak to severe cases of untreated malaria and typhoid.
Tukur added: “The Disease Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Health received reports of the outbreak in Bida LGA on January 19, 2025.
“The State Rapid Response Team (RRT), supported by local health officials, began investigations the following day.”
Blood tests conducted on the affected individuals confirmed that the illness was linked to improperly managed malaria and typhoid infections.
Tukur, who confirmed that no death has been recorded, argued that the possible role of hypersomnolence caused by diphenhydramine use.
Efforts have been made by the State Government and local authorities to educate residents on personal and environmental hygiene as well as the importance of adequate nutrition to prevent future incidents.
The commissioner confirmed that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has been informed, with further laboratory tests ongoing.
Active case searches are being conducted in both hospitals and the community to identify any additional cases and curb further spread.
