The Bauchi State Government has confirmed an outbreak of yellow fever, days after 4 students of the College of Education, Waka-Biu in Born state were confirmed dead while 12 others were hospitalised after a field trip to the Yankari Game Reserve.

Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency Executive Secretary, Dr Rilwan Mohammed told newsmen that the yellow fever outbreak was linked to the Yankari Game Reserve.

He further revealed that the Ministry of Health also received reports from Gombe and Borno states of suspected cases which were linked to the reserve, prompting an immediate dispatch of the State’s Rapid Response Team to Yankari Game Reserve on Wednesday September 4. 

He said, “The team discovered that there was a possibility of yellow fever outbreak which is being investigated.

“So far, six samples have been collected from suspected cases for testing at the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and at the Regional Laboratory in Dakar, Senegal.”