At least 112 people from Ogbadibo and Okpokwu local government areas of Benue State are reported to have died from yellow fever since the outbreak of the disease in September 2020 to date.
The state’s epidomiologist, Dr. Terungwa Ngise, who confirming the incidence in an interview, said emergency interventions had been mobilized to the affected communities including immunization, treatment of already infected persons,
supply of mosquitoe nets as well as depopulation of mosquitoes responsible for the spread of the disease.
Dr. Ngise, however, expressed worry that the spread of the disease became heightened following the refusal of a section of the Ogbadibo people to submit themselves to the immunization over traditional beliefs that the deaths and disease were cause by the “gods”.
Dr. Ngise regretted that such beliefs had frustrated interventions in the area.
He, however, said despite the people’s resistance, the state government will not be deterred in her efforts in stopping the spread of the disease to other parts of the state.
He therefore, advised residents in the two local government areas to key into personal hygiene by removing stagnant waters found around them, keep their environments clean and avail themselves of the second phase of the yellow fever immunization in the area.