The Zamfara State Government has intensified investigations and emergency response efforts following reports of an unidentified illness in Shinkafi and Zurmi Local Government Areas, with 38 cases recorded in Shinkafi and additional cases reported in Moriki community.
The Zamfara State Ministry of Health disclosed that the cases, predominantly involving adults, had been recorded in Shinkafi as of October 29, 2026.
In a statement signed by its Information Officer, Suleiman Isah, the Ministry said a multidisciplinary emergency response team had been deployed to investigate the outbreak, strengthen disease surveillance and prevent further spread.
The team, led by the Director of Public Health, Dr Yusuf Shinkafi, is working through the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) to establish the cause of the illness and coordinate interventions in the affected communities.
Reported symptoms include fever, headache, loss of appetite, vomiting, body pains and general weakness. The Ministry noted that the symptoms could be associated with several illnesses, including malaria, gastroenteritis and meningitis.
As part of the intervention, the response team visited general hospitals in Moriki and Shinkafi, where it assessed the situation and donated drugs and other medical supplies to support the treatment of affected patients.
The Ministry also confirmed that clinical samples had been collected and transported to Sokoto for laboratory investigations to determine the cause of the illness.
It added that rapid response teams had been sensitised to intensify surveillance, case identification and follow-up activities in the affected communities.
The Ministry identified delayed presentation at health facilities, partly due to self-medication and reliance on home-based treatment, as a major challenge to the response.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Nafisa Maradun, urged residents to seek immediate medical attention whenever they experienced symptoms, avoid self-medication and report suspected cases to the nearest health facility.
She said the government was also strengthening community engagement and public health education to encourage early detection, timely diagnosis, prompt treatment and preventive health practices.
The Ministry further recommended improved access to malaria diagnosis and treatment, adequate supplies of essential medicines, increased staffing at rural health facilities, better environmental sanitation and access to safe drinking water.
It assured residents that the state government 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.
