Borno tops with 15,237 cases of measles

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that Borno tops with 15,237 cases of measles with 75 deaths across Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

The cases were also reported to have spread to 22 local councils affected by Boko Haram insurgency.

This was disclosed yesterday in the global agency’s weekly report released to journalists in Maiduguri.

According to the report, the global health agency and other partners provided life-saving vaccine against measles to children between six and 71 months.

On measles’ outbreak, the report said: “Nigeria has been experiencing a large outbreak of measles since the beginning of the year.

“It affected all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

” About 28,796 suspected cases have been recorded from 660 local councils with 89 deaths.”

Yakura Ibrahim, a mother of three in Hausari ward of Maiduguri, lamented: “I have heard that children were falling sick with the disease.

“The entire camp was very concerned. Several children were becoming sick at the same time, including mine.”

According to her, mothers in camps spend their time looking after their sick children without engaging in other activities to survive.

Meanwhile, Director for Disease Control, Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Babagana Abiso, said:

“We are grateful to WHO, UNICEF and Gavi for making the exercise possible and supporting us in controlling the ongoing outbreak,” he said.

According to him, WHO and its partners vaccinated 1.23 million children across 32 wards in 13 local councils on completion of reactive vaccination campaign last week.