Lassa fever: Plateau records 2 cases

· I’m hale, hearty, Delta hospital MD says

Following resurgence of lassa fever in some parts of the country,  Plateau State government has recorded two cases of the disease while eight others are on the watch list at various health centres in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Kunden Deyin, who  said this at a ministerial press briefing in Jos, the state capital, on Tuesday,  said that  10 people were suspected to have been tested positive, but eight were later satisfied to be  negative and discharged while the two tested positive,  were  admitted at the  Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

Dr Deyin said the ministry in conjunction with other health-related agencies have placed the family of those who tested positive on surveillance to curtail  the spread of the menace.

He said the  state government had  already taken up the challenge by deploying health workers across the state to sensitise citizens on the  symptoms and preventive measures of  lassa fever.

According to him, lassa fever is transmitted through  urine and excreta of a rat and  served as a reservoir for the lassa virus, adding that  rodent is usually attracted to dirty  environment

He implored the people not  to panic over the two recorded cases, adding that the disease was not like Ebola  Virus but charged them  to be proactive and report suspected cases to avoid its spread.

Meanwhile, the medical director of a private hospital in Asaba, the Delta State capital, where the recent lassa fever victim was first admitted, had said that contrary to speculation of his death, he is hale and hearty  along with the workers,adding that the health facilitiy has not been deserted.

According to Dr Ben Ifeanyi Ajufoh of EL Comfort Hospital, Bonsac, Asaba, the victim, one  Dr Okeke, a medical practitioner, also in Asaba, was rushed to the hospital and  a few  hours  later, referred to the  Nnamdi Azikiwwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, where he manifested symptoms of the disease and  later died.

Dr Ajufoh told newsmen in Asaba that the state Ministry of Health fumigated  all the   facilities that hosted Dr Okeke, at the short period he stayed at the hospital even  though,  he did not bleed before he was referred.