The Adamawa State Government has ordered the immediate closure of all public and private schools in the state following the measles outbreak.
The directive, which was given yesterday, aimed to mitigate the spread of the disease and enable the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA) to vaccinate the vulnerable age group.
In a statement yesterday, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Aisha Umar said the ministry rescheduled the school resumption date to May 13, 2024.
The statement further directed all public and private schools to comply with the directive.
The outbreak has already claimed the lives of 42 children in the state, but the government said it was taking the necessary measures to contain the disease and prevent further casualties.
The government had earlier shut down primary and secondary schools following confirmation of a measles outbreak that killed 42 children.
The state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Felix Tangwami, said all the 21 local government areas of the state, except Lamurde had been put on alert.
He said, “The outbreak was recorded in eight wards in Mubi and seven wards in Gombi local government areas of the state with the death toll of 42 out of 131 and 177 respectively of the affected persons.”
Also, the Commissioner of Education and Human Capital Development, Dr Umar Pella, confirmed the closure of schools.
“Yes, we have ordered the closure of all schools – whether public or private at secondary and primary levels. This order which takes immediate effect will last for one week as we monitor the situation,” Pella said.
