20 Persons Quarantined In Borno Over Lassa Fever

Twenty persons have been quarantined in Borno State as Lassa fever spread to the state.

Briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Maiduguri, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia, said a 32-year-old female (name withheld), a resident of Zabarmari village in Jere Local Government Area of the state, had been diagnosed of the disease.

Mshelia disclosed that the patient became ill last week and was admitted at a government hospital in Maiduguri, where a sample of her blood was taken to Lagos for test.

“The result of the test has been released and it shows that the patient tested positive to Lassa fever,” he said.

The commissioner, however, said the patient was responding to treatment.

He added that the ministry had summoned stakeholders including traditional rulers to a meeting to sensitise them and the public on the need to ensure proper sanitation and avoid eating rodents, especially rats.

The commissioner noted that already, the ministry had mobilised its personnel who visited Zabarmari, an outskirts of Maiduguri metropolis, where over 20 people were identified to have had contact with the patient.

Mshelia said those identified had already been quarantined.

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Lassa Fever Kills Eight In Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Government has said that no fewer than eight people have so far died following the recent outbreak of Lassa fever in the state.

The Director of Public Health in the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu, made this disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lafia.

Adamu said, “Of the 11 confirmed cases recorded since the index case in November 2016, eight have died while three others are responding to treatment at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia.

“The three survivors in DASH are recovering very fast, two of them will be completing their treatment today (Tuesday) to be discharged while the other will complete his treatment by the weekend.’’

Adamu also said that the number of people, who had contact with the patients and were being monitored, had risen to 82 from 66.

“All those identified contacts now under surveillance, have been placed on oral drugs and we monitor their temperature twice daily,’’ he added.

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Again! Lassa Fever Hits Nigeria, 44 New Cases Confirmed

The Federal Government on Wednesday said 44 cases of Lassa fever have been confirmed since December 2016 in nine states including Ogun, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo, Nasarawa, Rivers, Ebonyi and Ondo, with some of the cases reported as probable.

The government also announced that seven new cases of Lassa fever had been reported and confirmed in Edo, Ondo, and Bauchi states.
While four of the seven new cases were reported in Edo State, two was reported in Ondo while Bauchi had one case reported in the weekly report collated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

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Fresh Cases Of Lassa Fever Confirmed In Ondo

Ondo State Government today confirmed a case of Lassa Lever at the Owo/Ose in Owo and Ose Local Governments Areas of the state while two other suspected cases are under investigation.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Dayo Adeyanju, who confirmed the case of the dreaded disease in Akure, Ondo State capital, said that the surveillance and containment machinery of government had been stepped up to prevent a spread of the disease.

The disclosure of the health commissioner came during a briefing of journalists after a meeting with senior health officials and development partners which deliberated on the lassa fever case.

The commissioner also supervised the distribution of more Information Education Communication (IEC) Materials on Lassa Fever to health centers across the state.

Adeyanju said the government swung into action on Lassa Fever, following the reported cases of the disease in Delta, Anambra and Edo States which coincidentally shares border with Ondo State.

He said the government activated its disease surveillance and notification structures with a view to detecting any case on time as well as deploy appropriate measures to contain the spread.

“This strategy has paid off which is why the confirmed case and the two suspected cases were detected on time and the patients transferred to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo State for treatment”, he said.

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Kassa Fever Is Back In Nigeria, Now ain Four State

Just as when the world and Nigeria thinks lassa fever is a history for nigerians we find it resurfacing back, which is now in four state in Nigeria. Five cases of Lassa fever were reported from four states of the country within 24th August to 2nd September this year, National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has said. the country within 24th August to 2nd September this year, National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has said. Two cases of the disease were reported from Plateau State, one from Rivers, and one each from Bauchi and Gombe, a release signed by management of the organization and made available to reporters recently said. According to the NCDC, the cases reported from Gombe died on 22nd August 2016, while all other cases are alive. The organization noted that public health response commenced immediately in all the affected states under leadership of the respective state’s Ministry of Health. “Resources were immediately mobilised from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and its partner, the Nigerian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP), to support the investigation and management of cases in the affected states,” part of the release said. The statement quoted newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, as saying: “We commend the early detection and reporting of the most recent cases, as it significantly improves the likelihood of survival for the cases and also reduces the risk of further transmission. We also urge all states to report cases immediately for Lassa fever while improving on the timeliness of their reporting generally.” The release furthered: “As a result of increasing number of cases, the NCDC is issuing an advisory to all states, reminding them of the steps they have to take to prepare and respond to cases of Lassa fever and other haemorragic fevers, as well as the resources that they can access for this. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control remains committed to supporting the states to prevent the spread of Lassa fever in Nigeria.”

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Lassa Fever Confirmed In Gombe, Plateau, Bauchi & Rivers

Five confirmed cases of Lassa fever has been reported from four states of Nigeria within the end of August and early September, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, said. The agency said two cases were reported in Plateau State, one each in Rivers, Bauchi and Gombe States.

“The case reported from Gombe died on 22nd August 2016, all other cases are alive,” NCDC said in a statement yesterday.

It went on to say, “Resources were immediately mobilised from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and its partner, the Nigerian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP), to support the investigation and management of cases in the affected states,” the statement said.

The body is also urging all States to report cases immediately for Lassa fever while improving on the timeliness of their reporting generally. It is well.

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Lassa Fever: Kill Rats And Make Money In Lagos

In a bid to avert incidents of Lassa fever and other vector-borne diseases in Lagos State, a non-governmental organisation, Phosguard Fumigant Limited, in partnership with the state government, has introduced a bounty, ‘Kill rats, make money.’

Under the project, rodents in the state will be bought by the NGO after they had been killed using hi-tech chemicals and equipment that would make their decomposing bodies non-infectious, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Oluwasegun Benson, on Sunday, said the bounty would help to get rid of rats in the state.

“We will buy at least 20 rats for a yet-to-be determined amount. In Lagos now, it is operation kill rats and make money.

“A rat has 28 days gestation period and in the past years, there has not been any solid structure on ground to curb them from infecting humans with diseases.

“We are already approaching an epidemic with Lassa fever and we must be proactive and find a more coordinated approach to control them. It is war against rodents and pests in Lagos State,’’ he said.

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Lassa Fever Kills Doctor In Delta, 32 Others On Surveillance

The Delta State Ministry of Health has confirmed one person dead and 32 others on surveillance following the reported case of Lassa fever.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, in a statement today said that the state recorded one death from Lassa fever after a medical doctor in the state died from the disease.

“On Aug. 18, 2016, one case of Lassa fever was reported in Delta State. The confirmed case was a medical doctor resident in Asaba who hailed from Anambra State. “He was first admitted in a private Hospital in the state and was later referred to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State.

“The patient’s condition deteriorated and he died after three hours on admission,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner said that blood sample earlier collected from the victim was confirmed to be positive for Lassa fever after laboratory analysis at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua in Edo State.

“Following the discovery, we also ensured that the hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac area was also shut down and fumigated.

“His wife’s blood sample was taken and tested at the Institute of Lassa fever; it, however, came back negative. “So far, a total of 32 persons have been placed on surveillance; These include 11 persons from the immediate family of the deceased.

“Eighteen persons at the private Hospital where the patient was first admitted and 3 other persons who made contact with the deceased,’’ Azinge said.

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Lassa Fever Kills Doctor, Three Others In Anambra

A medical doctor and three others have reportedly died of Lassa fever in Anambra state. 

This was annocuuned by the State Ministry of Health today in Awka during a one-day Lassa fever training workshop.

One of the resource persons at the workshop Dr. Jane Ezeonu confirmed that the medical doctor died at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, three days ago.

Also, the Director of Public Health in the state, Dr Emmanuel Okafor, said the state had equally recorded the death of three others, recently.

She warned the people of the state to stop drinking raw garri, adding that they should protect their food and related items from rats. Furthermore, she explained that people don’t acquire immunity after suffering from Lassa fever. Ezeonu said general hygiene was important in Lassa fever prevention.

According to him “In Anambra State, we don’t know the number of cases of the disease, but we have three confirmed deaths”

He therefore, called on health workers in the state to exercise high standard in handling Lassa fever cases

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