A measles outbreak has been declared in eight Nigerian states.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed a measles outbreak in eight states across the country.

The NCDC announced on Friday that Jigawa, Anambra, Katsina, Rivers, Enugu, Delta, Osun, and Sokoto are among the eight states affected, with 908 suspected cases reported so far.

Measles is a highly contagious virus infection that is very common among children.

Measles is characterized by red-brown blotchy rashes and cold-like symptoms.

Measles is spread through coughs and sneezes, and most people are infected before symptoms appear.

The Public Health Agency also stated that a measles outbreak was ongoing in Zamfara, but that it could not be confirmed due to a shortage of testing reagents.

Read also: In Jos, fire kills an illegal petrol seller and his wife.

It added that unvaccinated cases accounted for 58.7% of confirmed cases, and that as of 2021, a total of 15,792 suspected cases had been reported across 683 local government areas (LGAs) across the country.

“A total of 908 suspected cases have been reported in 29 states and the Federal Capital Territory so far this year.”

“A measles outbreak was reported in thirteen LGAs across eight states in 2022. Jigawa, Katsina, Rivers, Enugu, Anambra, Delta, Osun, and Sokoto are the states involved.

“A suspected measles outbreak is ongoing in Zamfara, but this is awaiting confirmation due to a lack of testing kits in the country.”

“Of the 908 suspected cases reported so far, 55.2 percent were from Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, and Anambra.” According to the report, “up to 58.7% of confirmed cases have not received a dose of measles vaccine.”

According to the NCDC, 100% of cases in Jigawa, Sokoto, Enugu, and Katsina were unvaccinated.

According to the agency, 54.4 percent in Borno, 50 percent in Akwa Ibom, 66.7 percent in Delta, 50 percent in Ekiti, 25 percent in Lagos, 83.3 percent in Osun, 8.3 percent in Oyo, and 50 percent in Rivers were not vaccinated.

“Of the 908 suspected cases reported, 88 were confirmed in the lab, 166 were clinically compatible, 148 were discarded, and 506 are still being classified,” it added.

According to NAN, 67,000 cases of measles were reported across the country between January and August 2021.

The number of measles cases in the previous year was 9,300.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 140,000 deaths from measles were recorded worldwide in 2018, with the majority of deaths occurring in countries with low income and inadequate health facilities