’19 children’ killed in suspected measles outbreak in Adamawa

At least 19 children in Mubi north LGA of Adamawa have reportedly been killed by complications from a suspected measles outbreak.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that is caused by a virus that attacks mainly children.

The most serious complications include blindness, brain swelling, diarrhoea, and severe respiratory infections.

Speaking with NAN on Saturday, Felix Tangwami, commissioner for health, said more than 200 children in the LGA were already infected.

He said the outbreak was reported in Yola on Saturday, leading to a quick mobilisation of medics and drugs to affected communities.

He assured that children with severe infections will be referred to hospitals.

The commissioner said the medical team will move from Mubi to Gombi LGA where another outbreak had been reported.

Tangwami attributed the refusal of parents to immunise their children for the outbreak.

In February, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had expressed concerns over the rapid spread of measles globally.

Natasha Crowcroft, a WHO technical adviser on measles and rubella, said experts in the measles world are extremely concerned.

Crowcroft said more than 306,000 cases of measles were reported worldwide in 2023 which represents a 79 percent increase from 2022.

She said measles cases are typically dramatically under-reported noting that the real number is “surely far higher”.

“Given the ballooning case numbers, we would anticipate an increase in deaths in 2023 as well,” she said.