The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lassa fever

  • Three fresh cases of Lassa fever discovered in Ondo

    Three fresh cases of Lassa fever discovered in Ondo

    THE Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNO) yesterday announced three fresh cases of Lassa fever in Ondo State areas.

    It identified places where the disease was detected as Owo and Akure North local governments.

    The officials stated this in  their reports to  the Commissioner for Health Dr. Dayo Adeyanyu in his office in Akure.

    They reported that a case was first identified in Eyin-Ogbe, Owo Local Government  Area and was confirmed at Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State.

    Two suspected cases were also identified in Ayede-Ogbese in Akure North Local Government Area and samples sent to same hospital for confirmation.

    Adeyanju said that the officers have put proactive measures in place to sensitise the people after the Anambra and Delta states outbreak.

    “There is active surveillance in all our LGAs, much more so that we learnt of the last outbreak in Anambra and Delta states, we felt we were likely to be prone. Our surveillance became much more active.”

    He said the measures have yielded results because the DSNOs and the community were able to identify the symptoms easily and promptly sprang into action.

    The commissioner assured the people that there was no cause for alarm as the confirmed case is receiving treatment in Irrua.

    The suspected cases, he added, are being placed on tab to curtail negative effects.

    “We need to keep tab on them and ensure that we are able to trace them to the last person so we can curtail it. At the moment, there is no cause for alarm. The outbreak control team has been active, sensitisation has been ongoing, jingles and other resources are maximally exploited,” he said.

  • Plateau confirms two with Lassa Fever

    Plateau confirms two with Lassa Fever

    The Plateau State government yesterday confirmed two of the 10 suspected Lassa Fever cases.

    Commissioner for Health Dr Kunden Kanshak spoke at the monthly ministerial news conference of the Ministry of Information, yesterday.

    “Ten suspected Lassa Fever cases were recorded, two persons have tested positive and one of them is a student of the University of Jos.

    “We are also conducting a thorough examination on the others. As part of the preventive measures, the government has deployed health workers on disease surveillance across the state to identify any trace of the virus and report immediately.

    “We have begun massive public awareness campaign to sensitise citizens on symptoms and preventive measures of the disease; the campaigns are aimed at enlightening the people on preventive measures and how to nip it in the bud,” he said.

  • Lassa fever: One dead, two hospitalised in Bauchi

    Lassa fever: One dead, two hospitalised in Bauchi

    One person has died from Lassa fever and two others hospitalised in Bauchi State.

    The chairman, Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development, Ibrahim Gamawa confirmed this yesterday in Bauchi.

    He said one person from Dul ward in Tafawa Balewa Local Government died from the fever on his way to a hospital.

    Gamawa also announced that  two other  suspected victims of the fever  from Alkaleri Local Government and Liman B ward are receiving treatments.

    He stated that the health ministry is partnering with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) to ensure the outbreak is given topmost priority.

    According to him: “The state government and Federal Ministry of Health have  being  liasing and monitoring the development  since the suspected return  of Lassa Fever  in  the state.

    “Besides health workers in the state essentially those  in  rural areas have been trained on how best to be at alert so as to detect the early symptoms of the fever.”

    He informed  a sensitisation  campaign  has been  launched through the mass media on the prevention steps against the fever.

    Bauchi is among five states to have recorded new cases of the fever in recent months.

  • FG confirms five cases of Lassa fever in Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Rivers

    FG confirms five cases of Lassa fever in Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Rivers

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), yesterday , confirmed five cases of Lassa Fever in Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau and Rivers States between  August  24 and  September  2.

    Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Chief Executive Officer, NCDC,said  in a statement in Lagos, that  two cases were reported from Plateau and one each from Rivers, Bauchi and Gombe.

    The  Gombe victim died on Aug. 22, while others are still alive.

    He said that public health response commenced immediately in all the affected states under the leadership of the respective state’s Ministries of Health.

    According to him, resources were immediately mobilised from 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.

    “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 states to report cases immediately for Lassa fever, while improving on the timeliness of their reporting generally.

    “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,” he said.

    The chief executive officer said that the NCDC remained committed to supporting the state governments to prevent the spread of Lassa fever in Nigeria.

  • Doctor dies of Lassa fever in Delta

    Doctor dies of Lassa fever in Delta

    •32 others quarantined 

    Thirty-two persons have been quarantined in Delta State, following the death of a doctor from Lassa fever in a fresh outbreak of the disease.

    The late doctor’s hospital at Umuaji and another private hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac, both in Asaba, the state capital, have been shut down and fumigated.

    The doctor, who hailed from Anambra State, reportedly died at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) at Nnewi, also in Anambra State, where he was referred to.

    His blood sample tested positive to Lassa fever at the Institute of Lassa Fever at Irrua, Edo State.

    Health Commissioner Dr. Nicholas Azinge said those placed under surveillance, included 11 persons from the family of the deceased; 18 persons at the private hospital where the patient was first admitted; and three others who had contacts with the deceased.

    In a statement yesterday, Azinge said disease surveillance officers in Oshimili South and Oshimili North local governments were among those in the response team.

    The commissioner said the officers would monitor the temperature of those quarantined in the next 21 days.

    He said the State Lassa Fever Response Team had been reactivated, adding that sensitisation of health workers was holding to enable them have a high index of suspicion and take preventive measures when managing infectious cases.

    Azinge said: “There has been awareness creation through the mass media so the public can understand how the disease is transmitted and take preventive measures to forestall its spread. In addition, outbreak prevention materials have been pre-positioned in high risk disease outbreak local government areas.

    “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), non-contact thermometers and other items have been distributed to the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in the 25 local government areas by the Ministry of Health. The drug, Rivabirin, has been procured for case management.

    “The Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Medical Association in the state have been contacted and are collaborating with the ministry. I want to use this medium to tell the public not to panic since the situation is under control.”

     

  • Medical doctor dies of Lassa fever

    Authorities of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, on Friday said a medical doctor had died of Lassa fever in the hospital.

    The Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Prof. Anthony Igwegbe, said the doctor’s case was the only incident of Lassa fever handled by the hospital.

    Igwebe said the doctor was brought in from Asaba, Delta.

    He said, “Yes, I can confirm to you that a medical doctor who was brought here from Asaba died from suspected Lassa fever case.

    “When he was brought as a suspected case, we took the samples for Lassa fever test and it turned out positive.

    “All stakeholders that attended to him did so under the universal precaution as recommended by WHO when you have such cases.”

     

  • Lassa fever kills doctor, three others in Anambra

    Lassa fever kills doctor, three others in Anambra

    Lassa fever has killed a doctor and three other persons in Anambra State.

    The Ministry of Health broke the news yesterday in Awka, the state capital, during a training workshop on Lassa fever.

    One of the resource persons Dr Jane Ezeonu said the doctor died three days ago at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) at Nnewi.

    The state’s Director of Public Health, Dr Emmanuel Okafor said three other persons had died of the disease.

    Ezeonu said the late doctor was referred to NAUTH from Asaba, the Delta State capital.

    She warned against drinking raw garri, adding that the residents should protect their foodstuffs and related items from rats.

    The expert noted that people don’t acquire immunity after suffering from Lassa fever.

    Ezeonu said general hygiene was important in Lassa fever prevention.

    Okafor said the essence of the workshop was to train professionals who would educate rural dwellers on the prevention of the disease.

    He said: “In Anambra State, we don’t know the number of cases of the disease. But we have three confirmed deaths.”

    The director urged health workers to follow a high health standard in handling Lassa fever cases.

    He said the state government had put machinery in motion to tackle the outbreak.  The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Okwuchukwu Chukwuka, insisted that there was no such epidemic in the state.

    He represented Commissioner for Health, Dr Josephat Akabuike, at the training workshop.

    Chukwuka said: ”It is a training workshop for health professionals in the 21 local government areas of the state who would sensitise and disseminate information about Lassa fever to the grassroots.

    “We are having the workshop for prevention, not that we have an epidemic in the state.”

  • Lassa fever Kills medical doctor, three others in Anambra

    Lassa fever Kills medical doctor, three others in Anambra

    Anambra State is now battling to save lives, as Lassa fever has claimed the lives of a medical doctor and three others in the state.

    This was a revelation by the state Ministry of Health Thursday 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.

    For Ezeonu, the late medical doctor was referred to NAUTH from Asaba, Delta state.

    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.

    For Dr Okafor, the essence of the workshop was to train professionals who would go to the grassroots to educate the people on the prevention of the disease.

    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.

    But he hinted that the state government had put machinery in motion to tackle the scourge.

    In his speech, the permanent secretary in the state ministry of health, Dr Okwuchukwu Chukwuka insisted that there was no such epidemic in the state.

    He represented the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Josephat Akabuike on the training workshop.

    He said “It is a training workshop for health professionals in the 21 local government areas of the state who would sensitize and disseminate information about Lassa fever to the grassroots.

    “We are having the workshop for prevention, not that we have an epidemic in the state,” the permanent secretary said.

    The Nation gathered Thursday that Lassa fever had been on in the state, with the Ministry of Health doing everything possible to hide it.

    Before now, the State Government had denied the influx of tuberculosis that hit about 2000 patients in the state in recent times.

  • Lassa fever: NDDC donates drugs, kits to Cross River

    Lassa fever: NDDC donates drugs, kits to Cross River

    As part of efforts to check the spread of Lassa fever in the country, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has donated drugs worth millions of naira as well as other personal protection equipment (PPE) to the Cross River State Ministry of Health.

    The delivery of the items taken at the Ministry of Health and Essential Drug Stores was made on behalf of the acting NDDC Managing Director, Mrs Ibim Semenitari by the State Director, Mr Alexander Okenwa, to the Director of Medical Services, Ministry of Health Calabar, Dr Ogban Ikpoti.

    Okenwa said, “We are very proactive in all modus operandi because we try to give people in the Niger Delta region the very best, we don’t want to be reactive in responding to any health issue whether endemic or otherwise and this is why we are carrying out this gesture.

    “We have donated the consignment so that the hospitals can be well prepared to handle any incident of Lassa Fever professionally and efficiently too.”

    Okenwa said though no incident has been recorded in the state, there was need to fully equip and prepare the health workers.

    He said Lassa Fever has killed over 80 people in 18 states of the Federation.

    Director of Medical Services, Dr Ogban Ikpoti said it was very important for the health workers to protect themselves before caring for others.

    Ikpoti said, “With this donation we now have the means to protect caregivers and health workers in our various hospitals with NDDC gesture they can now do their work no matter the nature of the disease they have to deal with.”

  • Doctors, nurses quarantined as Lassa fever kills patient

    Doctors, nurses quarantined as Lassa fever kills patient

    Some doctors, nurses and auxiliary staff of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital have been quarantined after a patient was confirmed to have died of Lassa Fever.

    Other hospital staff who had contact with the patient were also quarantined for close monitoring of symptoms of the hemorrhagic disease.

    The patient reportedly died three hours after a surgical operation was performed before he was diagnosed of having Lassa Fever.

    It was gathered that the patient was rushed to the hospital after complaining of appendicitis.

    He was said to be on a visit to Nigeria to attend his mother’s funeral at Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area.

    Confirming the incident, Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof. Michael Ibadin, said there was no cause for alarm as according to him, the hospital management maintained professionalism in handling the case.

    Prof. Ibadin said the patient died three hours after surgical operation and stressed that all personnel involved in providing care for the victim have all been taken care of according to standard as determined by international best practices.

    According to him, “The victim an adult male patient who was visiting from his base abroad had a typical presentation of abdominal pain. History of fever was not volunteered initially. The suspicion of Lassa fever was entertained when following surgery he had uncontrolled bleeding. He has since passed on.”

    State Commissioner for Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Aihianuwa Eregie, said she was not aware of the incident.

    “No, no, no, I don’t have this information but I will confirm to know if the death was caused by Lassa Fever,” she said.