A flesh-eating skin disease suspected to be Buruli ulcer has resurfaced in Adamawa State, with 23 patients, including six women and two children, currently receiving treatment at the Yola Specialist Hospital.
The latest outbreak was reported in Malabu District, Fufore Local Government Area, the same community where a similar epidemic occurred barely a month ago.
In September, eight residents of Malabu reportedly died following an outbreak of what health authorities described at the time as a suspected Buruli ulcer.
Confirming the new infections, the Adamawa State Epidemiologist, Stephen Kadabiu Jones, described the situation as “deeply concerning”.
Yes, we brought them on Tuesday,” Jones told journalists. “We are monitoring the situation closely and ensuring that all affected persons receive the necessary care. The Ministry of Health has mobilised rapid response teams to contain the spread and provide urgent medical intervention.”
The resurgence has triggered panic in the Malabu community, where residents are still grappling with the mysterious nature of the disease and its mode of transmission.
Some patients recounted their ordeal, describing how the infection begins.
It usually starts as a painless swelling or nodule, sometimes as a firm, raised lump or thickened patch of skin,” one patient said. “Within days, it eats deep into the flesh.
According to Jones, Buruli ulcer is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, a bacterium belonging to the same family as those responsible for tuberculosis and leprosy.
It thrives mostly in rural tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in areas with poor sanitation and stagnant water bodies,” he explained.
First identified in Nigeria decades ago, Buruli ulcer has been reported intermittently in parts of the Southwest and North-central regions. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies it as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), warning that delayed treatment can result in severe deformities, disability, or death.
Health authorities in Adamawa say surveillance and public awareness campaigns have been intensified, with community health workers deployed to sensitize residents about early symptoms and the importance of prompt reporting.
Despite these efforts, the recurrence within weeks has raised serious public health concerns over possible environmental risk factors and lapses in containment measures.
This is not just a medical issue; it’s a community and environmental health challenge,” a health worker at the Yola Specialist Hospital cautioned. “Without urgent and coordinated action, the disease could spread beyond Malabu.”
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