2016 fast-forwarded till date, Nigeria has lost 106 lives to Lassa fever outbreak, with 651 cases recorded across 18 states in the country, The New Diplomat has learnt.
The two deaths recorded on Tuesday had jacked up the earlier 104, as figure released by World Health Organization (WHO) on June 9, 2017 to the current 106.
According to the last figures on Lassa fever in Nigeria from the World Health Organisation (WHO): “Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever illness that is known to be endemic in various West African countries, including Nigeria. As of June 9, 2017, a total of 501 suspected cases, including 104 deaths, have been reported since the onset of the current Lassa fever outbreaks season in December 2016. Of the reported cases, 189 have been further classified, 175 laboratory-confirmed, including 59 deaths and 14 probable cases (all dead).
“Until this August 2017, during the current Lassa fever outbreak, 17 Nigerian states (Anambra, Bauchi, Borno, Cross-River, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers and Taraba) have reported at least one confirmed case. As of June 9, 2017, the outbreak is still active in nine states (Anambra, Bauchi, Cross-River, Edo, Taraba, Nasarawa, Ondo, Plateau and Kano).”
The WHO said the ongoing outbreak response is focused at state and federal levels and involves co-ordination of weekly Lassa fever review meeting in conjunction with World Health Organisation, United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and the African Field Epidemiology Network.
The Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Chris Bode, has said that besides the three persons under surveillance that tested positive to Lassa fever, the 150 persons currently under surveillance, and two others confirmed dead on Tuesday, the virus is “now under check.”
“There are no new cases of Lassa fever.” He said the affected resident doctor and the two new patients are in stable condition and responding to treatment. He, however, said that the 150 people exposed to the cases are still under surveillance.
On Thursday, a 22-year-old male patient was reported to have been under medical observation for suspected Lassa fever case at the Ogun State General Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, who confirmed the case to journalists, said the patient had been placed under watch by doctors.The paediatric surgeon said there is no cause for alarm but Lagosians and indeed Nigerians must improve on their personal and community hygiene.
“There must be zero-tolerance to rats. Cover your food items such as garri, beans and rice from the reach of rats and other rodents. They are the carriers of this virus,” he advised.
