Nigeria warns of ‘strange epidemic outbreak’ as 15 die and 104 infected by mystery disease

The Nigerian Senate today raised the alarm over what they are calling an epidemic in Oye-Obi, in the state of Bunue, which has also infected at least 104 people. Emmanuel Eche-Ofun John, Special Assistant on New Media to Senator Moro, said: “As of Monday February 3, 2020, the number of people affected with the strange endemic has risen to 104.” The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) added the first cases had been discovered last month in January.

It is unlikely the disease is the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus to the African region.

Today, News Africa said the disease has not yet been diagnosed by health authorities, so a possible cure has not yet been found.

The main symptoms are headache, diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach swelling.

The country’s Senate has urged the NCDC to closely monitor the situation to try to prevent the spread of the disease and ordered the quarantine of those infected.

The names of some killed by the disease are Happiness Ogbu, Onah Ogbedu, Wisdom Agwo and Andy Edu.

The NCDC said on Twitter: “We were notified of deaths from ‘strange illness’ in Benue by State Min. of Health on February 1.

“Samples tested at NCDC National Reference Laboratory, and negative for major Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers.”

The news of the strange epidemic comes as the word continues to battle the outbreak of another deadly virus.

Coronavirus continues to spread across the world, with the death toll now surpassing 1,000 in mainland China, where the virus spawned from.

In Britain, it emerged today that two male prisoners are being tested for the virus.

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The coronavirus has today been named Covid-19 by the director general of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

It is expected to take a staggering 18 months to find a cure, it has also emerged.

China has reported 108 more deaths, taking the total toll in the country to 1,016.

A GP practice in Brighton has closed today after a staff member tested positive for the virus.

But despite the increases in the number of infected patients, the overall risk level to the UK remains “moderate”.