FG Blames Govs as Lassa Fever Hits 17 States

The Federal Government has blamed poor response from state governments for the spread of Lassa fever from 10 to 17 states in the country.

The Federal Government accused some states of hiding some suspected cases in their states while some others failed to take proactive measures to follow up patients.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said this in Abuja during the emergency National Council on Health meeting on Lassa fever outbreak on Tuesday.

Adewole, identified Ebonyi State as one of those that did not inform the Federal Government about some cases.

Lassa Fever Killed a 65 year Old Woman in Delta State

Asaba -The outbreak of Lassa fever which has been ravaging some parts of the country, has claimed the life of a 65-year-old woman who was diagnosed with the illness in Delta State.

The victim, who was first admitted at St Joseph Hospital, Asaba and later referred to the Federal Medical Centre, in the city, gave up the ghost after doctors battled in vain to save her.

The woman whose identity was unknown at press time, reportedly hailed from Ifiogwari village, Ayamelunu, in Anambra State.

Lassa fever: Resident Doctors Demands Improved Rapid Response

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called on government to improve existing response mechanism to ensure rapid response in cases of disease outbreaks in the country.

Dr Muhammad Askira, President of the association, made the call at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja on the recent outbreak of Lassa fever.

Askira said the disease had so far claimed 43 lives in 10 states and the FCT Abuja.

He decried the emergency response arrangement set up by the government to tackle outbreak of any epidemic of this nature.

Askira said that such outbreaks do not require ad hoc arrangements or committees; rather, there should be an existing strategy to cushion.

#LASSA UPDATE: Stop Consuming Soaked Garri; Medical Workers Union Warns Nigerians. . .

The Medical and Health Workers Union, Lagos State council, on Saturday, said that it would embark on public enlightenment to discourage drinking of garri for now to prevent Lassa fever.

According to Mr Razak Adeofalade, Chairman of the union, the house rats that caused Lassa fever are mostly in contact with Nigerian most staple food, garri, a cassava product.

“We are going to encourage members of the public to stop drinking garri at this moment, it is better that the cassava flour is utilised for ‘eba’ because of the use of hot water.

We are waging total war and that is: ‘War against Rats,’ and that is what we are going to do to ensure we do not have another victim of Lassa fever in the state.

We will also be telling them to ensure that their fruits and raw vegetables are properly washed if they must be consumed raw and cook to the appropriate temperature.

Lagos State Experiences first case of Lassa fever in LUTH

There's report reaching us that the 1st case #LassaFever in Lagos has been confirmed in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital #LUTH today

It is reported that the case, which was diagnosed at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, involves a 25-year-old student from the Ahmadu Bello University.

This was disseminated by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) of the teaching hospital; "The first confirmed case of Lassa fever now in the Accident & Emergency unit. Patient isolated, containment area being devised, ribavirin available. No need to panic. But limit movement to A&E if not necessary. Our trained staff on ground. More info soon."

The patient is said to have been admitted first at a private hospital in Ojokoro area of Lagos State.

According to the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, the patient is responding to treatment.

Please #ProtectYourself

Press Briefing on the Outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria by the Honourable Minister of Health.

Press Briefing on the Outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria by the Honourable Minister of Health - Prof. Isaac F. Adewole

I wish to begin this press briefing by wishing the citizens of Nigeria a Happy and Prosperous New Year, and to allay their fears on the current epidemic outbreaks of a Haemorrhagic Fever now confirmed by our laboratories to be Lassa Fever Viral Disease.

The public is hereby assured that the government and its partners, and other stakeholders are working tirelessly to address the outbreak and bring it to timely end.

It is important that I notify the nation through you, that in the last 6 weeks Nigeria has been experiencing Lassa fever (LF) outbreak which has so far affected 10 states. The States affected include Bauchi, Nassarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Edo, Plateau, Gombe and Oyo States. 

The total number so far reported is 81 and 35 deaths, with a mortality rate of 43.2%. Our laboratories have confirmed 17 cases, indicative of a new roundtrip of Lassa fever outbreak.

The first case of the current outbreak was reported from Bauchi in November, 2015. This was followed by cases reported by Kano State, and subsequently the other states mentioned above.