Strange Illness:Benue Health Commissioner Dies Day After Announcing Strange Disease Killed
Dr Emmanuel Ikwulono, is dead, he is the Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Service.
Ikwulono was said to have died after a brief illness, but the cause of his sudden demise could not be ascertained.
His sudden death came a day after he raised the alarm that a strange disease ravaging the state had claimed 17 persons.
The health commissioner had only on Tuesday raised the alarm that no fewer than 17 persons had died of a strange illness ravaging the Okpeilo-Otukpa area in the Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Ikwulono, in a statement issued on Tuesday, had said, “At the time of the receipt of the report yesterday, 9th November, 2020, about 17 persons were already said to have died of the illness.
“We currently have one case which was brought to Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi by a relative of the patient. Others are receiving treatment in different hospitals.”
The commissioner, in the statement signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Andrew Amee, had also said symptoms of the illness usually include fever, abdominal pain, and general body weakness, while some stool and vomit with tinges of blood.
He had also said that the government was aware of the outbreak and had responded swiftly to facilitate an investigation to establish the cause of the illness.
The statement had added, “His Excellency, Governor Samuel Ortom, has approved funds to enable the State Ministry of Health and Human Services to carry out the investigation.
“In the meantime, we advise the people of Ogbadibo and its environs to maintain good hygiene practices and report anyone with the said symptoms to the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in the local government area, or call the Benue Emergency Operations Centre.”
