From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja; Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba, and AbdulGafar Aalabelewe, Kaduna

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) yesterday said 70 persons died of Lassa fever out of 472 cases recorded, as of February 11.

Its Director-General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the overall Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for this year stood at 14.8 per cent.

He said it is lower than the 18.7 per cent recorded during the same period last year.

According to him, NCDC’s goal is to have a single-digit CFR in Nigeria.

“We are on the right track toward achieving that,” he said, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

NCDC’s Assistant Director, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Department, Dr Kola Jinaidu, said 14 health workers were affected.

She said the 70 deaths occurred in 92 local government areas in 26 states.

Junaidu was the guest speaker at a sensitisation seminar organised by Great Helping Hands Foundation in partnership with Oma Life Rescue Foundation in Kaduna.

Also, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, have assured the residents that the dreaded COVID-19, popularly known as Coronavirus, will not penetrate the nation’s capital.

Read Also: Lassa fever: 50 under watch in Anambra

“All our surveillance informants within the communities and health facilities sites have been strengthened with sensitisation of health personnel across all levels of health care services provision,” she said.

Fourteen persons in Delta State tested positive to the fever, Incident Manager, Emergency Operations Committee on Lassa Fever, Dr Anne Ojimba, said.

It was learnt that one person died from the disease in the state.

Dr. Ojimba explained that the body of the victim, who died in Kebbi State and brought home, was properly buried.

Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano urged the residents to desist eating rats to avoid the disease.

The governor spoke while kick-strting the second phase of the Maternal, New-born and Child Health Week/National Immunisation Plus Days at the Primary Healthcare Centre in Akpo, Aguata Local Government Area.

“Residents should please maintain a high level of hygiene by washing their hands properly, block entry point for rats into their houses and stop burning of bushes that makes stranded rats run into people’s houses,” he said.

Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has directed all heads of formations with entry and exit points to heighten sensitisation of their operatives as first contact with migrants coming into the country.

This is as the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Edo State urged the Federal Government to build isolation centres at points of entry into the country.

Its Chairman, Dr. Valentine Omoifo, told NAN: “Some countries are already taking measures so that coronavirus would not get to their country. Nigeria has made some efforts but we should do more.

“Nigeria should have an isolation centre to study and check people to come into the country.”