No case of Lassa fever in Anambra ― Health commissioner

The Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Vincent Okpala says that there are no incidents of Lassa Fever yet in the State.

Dr Okpala made this known in Awka, yesterday while speaking to newsmen over the recent resurgence of Lassa Fever in some States in Nigeria.

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, found in certain species of rats.

According to Dr Okpala, Lassar fever has remained a major public health challenge in West Africa, with Nigeria bearing the highest burden.

The Commissioner who said that Anambra State is yet to record any case of Lassa fever assured that the State government is highly prepared to tackle any eventuality, as the emergency operation centre and rapid response teams of the Ministry is working round the clock to ensure that the State is safe every day.

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The Commissioner said that states like Enugu, Edo, Delta, Bauchi, Plateau and Taraba States, have recorded some cases of the disease and urged residents of the state to maintain a high level of hygiene at all times.

Lassa fever is spread through direct contact with urine, feces, saliva or blood of infected rats. Contact with objects, household items, and surfaces or eating food contaminated with urine, feces, saliva or blood of infected rats.

Person to person transmission by contact with blood, urine, feces, vomits, and other body fluids of an infected person.
Its symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth and other body openings.