Lagos records one case of Lassa fever

Lagos State on Tuesday recorded one case of Lassa fever, the state’s commissioner of health, Akin Abayomi, has said.

Mr Abayomi, on his twitter handle @ProfAkinAbayomi, said the case was confirmed on Tuesday and the patient is currently in isolation and receiving treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH.

He added that the state’s ministry of health through its epidemiology, biosecurity and global health directorate has commenced contact tracing to determine those who may have been infected with the disease.

This is the first confirmed case of the disease reported in Lagos since the outbreak of the disease in January.

It is also the first case since 2017 when two people died of the disease.

According to the weekly situation report from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Lagos State had earlier reported 11 suspected cases from week one to six, but none had been positive.

With the new confirmed case, the state has begun routine contact tracing, an exercise often necessary to curb the spread of the disease.

Mr Abayomi said other surveillance and biosecurity strategies have been stepped up to prevent any spread.

“Lagos state ministry of health is also in active collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC to contain and prevent the spread of the infection in LAGOS.

” I enjoin the public to remain calm as the situation is under control. My team and I will keep Lagosians updated of any further development on the case.

“Let’s stay free from infections by maintaining high standard of personal and environmental hygiene to stop Lassa Fever,” he said.

Outbreak

Nigeria, in the past eleven weeks, has been battling the scourge of the Lassa fever outbreak.

As of February 12, the death toll from the fever had risen to 70, and more cases and deaths have since been reported till date.

From January 1 to February 9, Nigeria recorded 1708 suspected cases, with 472 confirmed cases, four probable cases and 70 deaths from 92 local government areas in 26 states.

The report of new cases implies that there is an increasing spread of the disease across the country.

The disease has become an epidemic in the country as it has become a year-round outbreak with cases rising from November and peaking by May.

The disease though treatable still records a high number of deaths and confirmed cases.