Nurse dies of suspected case of Lassa Fever in Edo

A suspected case of Lassa Fever has allegedly claimed the life of a male nurse working with the staff clinic of one of the oil palm companies located in Ovia South-West local government area of Edo State.

The victim was said to be in his 30s and married with a child, worked at the clinic, but lives with his family at Upper Sakponba neighborhood of the Edo state capital.

A close source who did not want his name in print disclosed that the doctor in charge of the disease control at the clinic had last week discovered that the deceased nurse was unusually weak and with high fever.

“By the time they admitted him at the clinic and run test on him, they detected that he had ‘2 plus’ malaria, with protein in his blood.

“As the fever got worse by the day, they then decided to transfer him to a private clinic in Benin City, last Saturday, where they also carried out several tests on him.

“When they suspected that he might be suffering from Lassa Fever, they then decided to transfer him to the Lassa Fever center at Irrua Teaching Hospital. But he died at the clinic even before they could finalize arrangements to take him there,” the source said.

The Commissioner for Health, Mr. David Osifo, could not be reached on his mobile phone for confirmation as it was busy throughout. He also did not respond to text a message sent to his mobile phone.