Lassa fever hits Osun
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NIGERIA: THE government of Osun State has confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever in the state.
The confirmation on Wednesday followed a laboratory test conducted on the resident doctor who died at the hospital on Monday.
The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Ile-Ife, while confirming the development, said that the result of the first test carried out on the sample
of the deceased tested positive.
Chairman of the committee set up by the OAUTH on Lassa fever, Prof Adedeji Onayade, who spoke with newsmen in Osogbo, the state capital, said that the result of the laboratory test further confirmed the outbreak.
“We have a report back and the result came as positive. We were supposed to do two tests but the patient was dying when we took the first sample,” Onayade said, adding: “We can’t do the second test now. So we can say it is 50 per cent, but we are going ahead to take necessary steps. We have informed all those who should know.”
Onayade, however, urged the public not to panic, while assuring that necessary measures have been put in place to stop the spread of the disease.
- Tope Kayode-Adedeji
