LASSA FEVER ALERT: Five Cases Confirmed in Ondo State

The dreadful Lassa fever disease has hit Ondo State as no fewer than five people have reportedly been infected with the deadly disease.

According to the Permanent Secretary of the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Taye Oni, who spoke with journalists in Akure on Tuesday, the disease has affected two people in Owo Local Government and two people in Akoko North-West Local Government and also a student of the Achievers University in Owo was also infected by the disease, Punch reports.

”Of the cases recorded by the state government, we have a 56-year-old male, a 47- year-old female and another two people in Akoko South-West. This is not the usual time it occurs in Ondo State. It usually occurs during dry season and limited to Owo and Ose Local Governments.

Government is doing its best to contain the recorded cases by isolating the patients to prevent further spread. We also embarked on aggressive contact tracing, sensitisation of the people not just in Owo and Ose but across the state on preventing and precautionary measures.

Most times, we have always run to Irrua Specialists’ Hospital in Edo State but the facility is already overwhelmed with so many cases across the country, that is why we are collaborating with the Federal Medical Center, Owo, in handling the recorded cases,” Dr. Oni said.

READ ALSO: How Lassa Fever Killed Nursing Student in Anambra

He further noted that the state government was supporting the FMC with protective kits, injections and tablets.

Following this he appealed to people of the state to always visit the nearest government hospitals whenever they are having reoccurring fever.

On the affected student of Achievers University, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Tunji Ibiyemi, who confirmed the incident on Wednesday, did not disclose the identity of the victim.

He explained that the affected student, who he said, contracted the disease from outside the campus, had been receiving treatment and would be discharged from the hospital soon.

“Investigation carried out by the university revealed that the affected student must have contracted the disease from outside the university premises as none of her roommates and friends, who have been screened, developed the symptoms of the ailment,” the VC stated.

In addition, he explained that the institution had taken proactive steps to prevent the disease from entering into to the school. He said the university often fumigated the environment and held talks with the students on the need to maintain personal hygiene to safeguard their health.

Ibiyemi also stated that the institution had given the students three weeks mid-semester break, adding that the staff had been carrying out their activities off campus till July 5, 2017.

“The students are expected to report back to school with a certificate of medical fitness issued by a reputable government hospital,” he said.