TWENTY students have died in three boarding girls’ secondary schools and the Federal Government Girls’ College in Potiskum and Fika local government areas of Yobe State due to a suspected meningitis outbreak.
Yobe State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Mohammed Sani-Idris confirmed the deaths and mentioned that several students were hospitalized but have since been discharged.
To prevent further escalation of the disease, key officials have temporarily relocated to the affected areas.
“I as Commissioner, my Permanent secretary and the Executive Secretary of the State’s Science Technical Board as well as the Chairman of the Teaching Service Board have relocated to Potiskum temporarily to ensure the disease does not escalate”
Governor Mai Mala Buni’s administration has also taken steps to address the outbreak by providing emergency treatment drugs and deploying a rapid response team to the affected areas.
While briefing the representative of the Governor at Specialist Hospital Potiskum, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Isa Bukar said a total number of 214 cases were recorded and three are still in the intensive care unit of the hospital responding to treatment.
This incident follows a similar outbreak that claimed lives in Degubi community in Fika Local Government Area in April 2023.
