Yellow fever: Enugu govt to sensitise public health workers to observe precaution

THE Enugu State Government has concluded plans to sensitise its public health workers to the need to observe universal precautions against yellow fever to check the spread.

Dr Okechukwu Ossai, the Administrator, Enugu State Hospital Management Board, stated this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday.

Ossai said that Yellow fever is a disease caused by a virus transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito.

He said it could result in sudden bleeding from the nose, mouth, ear and stomach.

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He stated that while most infections could be resolved, some could lead to death.

According to him, in mild cases, yellow fever causes fever, headache, nausea and vomiting.

He, however, added that it could become more serious, causing heart, liver and kidney problems along with bleeding.

“Up to 50 per cent of people with the more severe form of yellow fever die of the disease,” he noted.

As a preventive measure, Ossai said in addition to getting the vaccine, one could help protect oneself against yellow fever by protecting oneself against mosquitoes.

He said to reduce exposure to mosquitoes one must avoid unnecessary outdoor activity when mosquitoes are most active.

“Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when you go into mosquito-infested areas and also if your accommodation doesn’t have good window screens or secured ventilation, use bed nets.

“Not just ordinary nets but mosquito nets that have been pre-treated with insecticide offer additional protection.”

He said the transmission of the disease was usually sustained through blood contacts and health workers were always at risk, and it is usually the first contact by those infected.

“Yellow fever is sustained through blood contacts an those who are at risk of being infected are the health workers.

“This is because, on a daily basis, they have one thing or the other to do with blood,” he said.

He added that it was imperative that the state government should do its best in protecting its health workers through sensitisation programmes.