Measles: Adamawa shuts schools

Adamawa State Government has closed down public and private schools following the outbreak of measles in the state.

The closure notice was contained in a statement signed by Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Aisha Umar on Monday in Yola.

Umar said the closure is to mitigate the spread of measles and to enable the state Primary Health Care Development Agency to vaccinate the age group that is vulnerable to the disease.

The ministry announced 13 May as the new resumption date following the closure order as schools in the state reopened on Monday 6th May from the second term break.

The announcement read, “In view of the above all public and private schools are hereby directed to close down schools accordingly please.”

At least 42 persons have been confirmed dead following an outbreak of measles in the state. The state ministry of Health announced the outbreak of the disease in Mubi North, Mubi South and Gombi, which killed several persons.

The Commissioner for Health and Human Service, Mr Felix Tangwami, said the cases were recorded in vaccine-non-compliant communities in the state.

Tangwami noted that 23 people died in Mubi-North and 19 died of the disease in Gombi local government areas of the state.