Zamfara State epidemiologist Dr Ahmad Muhammad Gusau said those affected presented with symptoms similar to malaria, but the actual cause of the illness had yet to be determined.
He said the state Ministry of Health deployed a rapid response team to Shinkafi to investigate the situation, and sent samples from affected patients to the National Reference Laboratory for analysis.
According to Gusau, the tests are expected to establish whether the illness is dengue fever, chikungunya or another febrile disease.
He said the state government would not make a definitive diagnosis until the laboratory results were available.
Gusau also cautioned against directly attributing all the reported deaths to the unidentified illness, explaining that some of the deceased had underlying health conditions, including diabetes and hypertension.
However, the reported death toll, along with the lack of a confirmed diagnosis, has placed the spotlight on the NCDC, which coordinates national disease surveillance, preparedness and response to infectious disease threats.
Public health experts have repeatedly stressed that timely, transparent communication during suspected disease outbreaks is critical to counter misinformation, prevent unnecessary panic and ensure affected communities seek medical attention promptly.
The situation also highlights the need for effective coordination between state health authorities and the NCDC, particularly when investigating unusual clusters of illness, establishing their causes and communicating findings to the public.
As of the time this report was filed, the NCDC had not yet issued an official statement about the reported outbreak, clarify whether it had deployed an independent investigation team, or provide details of any national-level response.
