The Sokoto State Government has confirmed the death of 33 children following a fresh outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in parts of the state.
The State Commissioner for Health, Faruk Abubakar, disclosed this during an advocacy meeting with district heads organised by the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
According to him, 256 suspected cases have so far been recorded across eight local government areas.
The commissioner blamed most of the deaths on delayed treatment and misconceptions about the disease, noting that many victims died before reaching health facilities.
Abubakar, however, said patients brought in early have responded well to treatment, with no recent deaths recorded since interventions were intensified.
To contain the outbreak, the state government and Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders, have established isolation centres in Dogo Daji and Tambuwal.
Cerebrospinal meningitis is a deadly infection that affects the brain and spinal cord and spreads more easily during the dry season, especially in overcrowded communities.
