Date: 2017-08-20

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has enjoined Nigerians not to panic saying it has commenced investigations into the recent outbreak of a "strange illness" in Kogi and Kwara states.

The yet-to-be-ascertained disease has killed at least 62 people within the last three weeks in Kogi State.

A statement from NCDC yesterday said the organization's Event Based Surveillance (EBS) system detected the news of a strange illness in Kogi State on Wednesday after a report of an outbreak in Kwara State a week before.

The statement said preliminary findings from the states showed that some cases presented with symptoms that fits the case definition of Lassa fever but was not the case after a laboratory test was conducted.

The centre said it was supporting Kogi and Kwara states in on-going investigations and that its Rapid Response Team was ready to be deployed as required.