Lassa fever hits Ogun, 60 persons under watch
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NIGERIA: OGUN State has recorded the first confirmed case of Lassa fever.
The discovery came just as government placed 60 persons suspected to be carrier of the deadly virus on close surveillance.
Health Commissioner, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, who said that the 60 suspects were being monitored due to their primary contact, made the disclosure at a press conference on Thursday held at Governor’s Office Press Centre, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Ipaye said that the confirmed female victim is a 28-year-old resident of Ota who had travelled to Ebonyi State for a burial event and returned to the state on January 15, without knowing she had contact with a victim of Lassa fever.
The commissioner explained that the carrier thereafter fell ill and was taken to two private hospitals in the town.
According to him, when there was no sign of improvement in her health, a blood test was carried out on her.
The result, he added, showed that the victim had been infected with the deadly disease.
Ipaye stated that after this discovery, the victim was moved to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, where she has been admitted for treatment.
“The confirmatory test was done and the result came in last night,” he said, adding: “We started emergency procedures immediately and she has been moved to the isolation centre in Sagamu.” Ipaye also said: “She has been given the drug, Rivavirim, and still under observation. She has had fever and other symptoms, but has not started bleeding. She has passed through two private hospitals, which has now been shut for decontamination.”
The commissioner explained that 60 persons, in the two private hospitals, were discovered to have had contact with the victim coupled with the family members.
He stated that she had contact with 35 in the first hospital, 22 in the second one and three others among her family members.
They have all been placed under surveillance, he further explained.
Ipaye, therefore, pleaded with the public not to panic, while advising them to be vigilant and maintain good hygienic environment in their homes.
He enjoined them that anyone they noticed to be suffering from persistent fever and seen to be oozing blood from any part of the body should be reported immediately.
Ipaye praised the owner of the second hospital for reporting the discovery to the government.
He said: “We thank him because he contacted us immediately the lady was referred to him. What he has done is to save the public from an impending catastrophe; this is placing the interest of the public above his own financial interest.”
The commissioner also said that those 19 earlier suspected to be carrier of the Lassa fever have been declared free of the disease after through medical examinations carried out on them.
- By Temitope Odupitan
