Lasssa fever heading towards Lagos (SEE WHY)

Health authorities
have announced the death of
a Lassa fever victim in Abuja,
the first fatality in the
nation’s capital since the
latest outbreak in November
2015.

The minister of health, Isaac
Adewole, made the
announcement Wednesday
evening at the National
Hospital, the press director,
Boade Akinola, at the health
ministry, said in a statement.
The medical director of the
hospital, Jack Momoh, who
briefed the minister, said the
patient was brought in
unconscious from a private
hospital in Kubwa, a suburb
of Abuja, where he had been
admitted for eight days.
The 33-year-old newly
married lived in Jos, Plateau
State, but travelled to see a
family member in Kubwa
because of his illness. He
however died within
24hours of presentation at
the national hospital.
The statement said the
minister had directed that all
primary and secondary
contacts of the victim,
including the staff of the
private hospital in Kubwa, an
Abuja suburb, where the
deceased was first managed
for one week before referral
to National Hospital, be
tracked.
He also advised that family
members should report at the
nearest hospital if anyone
has fever for more than two
days.
The minister, however called
on the residents of Abuja not
to panic but to maintain high
level vigilance and present themselves
for test if they feel unhealthy or they feel
symptoms of Lassa fever which include
high fever, stooling, tiredness, vomiting,
etc., adding that self-medication should
be avoided at this period.
The latest death from Lassa fever brings
the total number of deaths to 43 in the
country (from 10 states).
The government said on Tuesday that
Lassa fever, an acute viral illness, had
claimed 41 lives from 93 reported cases
in 10 states of the country.
The first case of the current outbreak
was reported from Bauchi in November
2015.
Mr. Adewole said at a news conference
on Tuesday that the government had
raised a four-man expert committee,
chaired by Michael Asuzu, a professor,
to visit Kano, Niger and Bauchi, the
three most endemic states.
“The committee will embark on a fact
finding mission, assess the current
situation, document response
experiences, identify gaps and proffer
recommendations on how to prevent
future occurrences,” Mr. Adewole, a
professor, said.
The minister assured the public the task
of the committee was not to apportion
blame but rather to document lessons
learnt for better planning of an affective
responsive.
According to Mr. Adewole, part of the
long term response is to establish an
inter-ministerial committee to deliver a
final blow on Lassa fever and other
related diseases.
The committee comprises the ministers
of Education, Agriculture and Natural
Resources, Environment, Information
and Culture as well as Health.
He advised communities to improve on
their hygiene, including food hygiene
and food protection practices.
He also urged the public to avoid contact
with rodents as well as food
contaminated with rat’s secretions and
excretions.
According to him, the affected states are
Bauchi, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano,
Rivers, Edo, Plateau, Gombe and Oyo.
“The public is hereby assured that
government and other stakeholders are
working tirelessly to address the
outbreak and bring it to timely end,”
said the minister.
He said the ministry had ordered for the
immediate release of adequate
quantities of “ribavirin”, the specific
antiviral drug for Lassa fever, to the
affected states for prompt treatment of
cases.
Mr. Adewole said Nigeria had the
capability to diagnose Lassa fever,
adding that “all the cases reported so far
were confirmed by our laboratories”.
It has also been learnt that cases of this epidemic has been found in Oyo state, is Lagos next???