Zamfara Deploys Emergency Team As Unidentified Illness Hits Three LGAs, 38 Cases Reported

The Zamfara State Government has intensified its public health response following reports of an unidentified illness affecting residents of Shinkafi, Moriki and Zurmi Local Government Areas.

The state Ministry of Health disclosed that 38 cases had been reported, predominantly among adults in Shinkafi, as of October 29, 2026, while additional cases had been reported in Moriki.

According to a situation report by the ministry’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), a multidisciplinary emergency response team has been deployed to investigate the outbreak, strengthen disease surveillance and coordinate medical interventions in the affected communities.

The team is led by the Director of Public Health, Dr Yusuf Abubakar Shinkafi, and comprises epidemiologists, disease surveillance officers and clinical experts.

The reported symptoms include fever, headache, loss of appetite, vomiting, body pains and general weakness.

The ministry said the symptoms could be associated with several conditions, including malaria, gastroenteritis and meningitis, adding that further investigations were required to establish the cause of the illness.

As part of the intervention, the emergency response team visited Moriki General Hospital and Shinkafi General Hospital to assess the situation and provide drugs and other medical consumables to support patient care.

Clinical samples have also been collected and sent to Sokoto for further laboratory investigations, while response teams across the affected local government areas have been directed to intensify surveillance and follow-up activities in affected and unaffected communities.

The ministry said the response team was also working to trace contacts, investigate reported cases and facilitate urgent testing at accredited national laboratories.

It identified delayed presentation at health facilities as a major concern, noting that self-medication and reliance on home-based treatment could worsen patients’ conditions and increase the risk of complications.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Nafisa Muhammad Maradun, urged residents to seek immediate medical attention whenever they experience symptoms associated with the illness.

She also advised residents to avoid self-medication and report suspected cases to the nearest health facility to ensure timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

The ministry said it was strengthening community engagement and public health education to improve early recognition of symptoms, encourage prompt treatment and promote preventive health practices.

It also recommended improved access to malaria testing and treatment, sustained disease surveillance, adequate supplies of essential medicines and increased staffing at rural health facilities.

Other proposed measures include improved environmental sanitation and access to safe water in the affected communities to reduce the risk of further disease transmission.

The state government said it was working with relevant stakeholders and health authorities to contain the situation, strengthen healthcare delivery and prevent further loss of lives.

The ministry also expressed condolences to families who had lost loved ones and wished those receiving treatment a speedy recovery.

However, the specific cause of the illness remains undetermined pending the outcome of laboratory investigations.