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Faruk Abubakar-Wurno, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, has revealed that no fewer than 34 people have died out of 254 infected in a meningitis outbreak across nine local government areas (LGAs) of the state.
Abubakar-Wurno made this revelation on Wednesday, noting that the outbreak had spread across multiple communities and prompted urgent government response efforts.
The commissioner said the state government has established isolation centres in Dogondaji and Kurawa communities in Tambuwal and Sabon Birni LGAs.
He added that all 201 persons treated at government health facilities had been discharged.
According to him, the affected communities include Dange-Shuni, Kebbe, Shagari, Tambuwal, Wamakko, Sabon Birni, Bodinga, Kware and Gada. Abubakar-Wurno said 24 samples were sent for testing, out of which 16 returned negative results, while eight cases of meningitis were confirmed, indicating the presence of the disease in communities.
Meningitis is the inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it can be infectious or non-infectious in origin and can be associated with a high risk of death and long-term complications, and requires urgent medical care.
The commissioner added that children aged one to 15 are most vulnerable to the infection. He explained that overcrowding and seasonal dry winds significantly increased transmission risks, raising serious public health concerns across northern states.
He urged Sokoto residents to sleep in well-ventilated rooms or outside house compounds to reduce the spread of disease, often worsened by extreme heat, adding that the government has intensified surveillance through disease surveillance officers, ensured laboratory testing and medication provision
According to the WHO and surveillance data, meningitis is a major public health concern in Nigeria, particularly during dry seasons, with northern states most affected, according to the
