|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said three states in Nigeria; Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi State carries eight five per cent of the burden of Lassa fever cases currently.
According to the press release made available by the agency on Wednesday, given the unprecedented outbreak, the NCDC calls on all Nigerians, especially those living in these three States to continue focusing on prevention by ensuring they prevent access to their foodstuff by rodents.
“From 1st January to 25th February 2018, a total of 1081 suspected cases and 90 deaths have been recorded actively in Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Imo, Plateau, Lagos, Taraba, Delta, Osun, Rivers, FCT, Gombe and Ekiti states making eighteen states.
“This year 69 per cent of all confirmed cases are from (Edo 43%, Ondo 26%, Ebonyi 16%) states, say the report.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness, transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rodents. Person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in hospital environment in the absence of adequate infection control measures.
The agency further stated that for those that fall ill with fever, it is important to go to a healthcare facility in order to get a test that will determine the cause of the fever, before treating.
“NCDC, with the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health, remains committed to working with sister agencies and partners to ensure that this outbreak is brought under control and Nigeria is better prepared to prevent, detect and respond to future outbreaks,” the report stated.
However, Isaac Adewole, minister of Health, recently held Emergency Council of Health meeting in Abuja also calling on all States in Nigeria to escalate their response activities.
According to him, given the present circumstances, each State should urgently invest resources in protecting the health of residents of their States by carrying out risk communication activities to inform residents on simple measures to prevent infection, and what to do when they become ill.
“Healthcare workers across the country have also been re-educated on Lassa fever, especially in recognising early symptoms to ensure rapid referral for appropriate care and on the use of universal precautions to protect themselves and their patients,” Adewole said.
He added that despite the challenges, the Federal government through the NCDC and its partners have ensured that every patient diagnosed with Lassa fever has gotten appropriate treatment.
Also, healthcare workers in the major treatment centres at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Federal Medical Centre Owo and the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki have received adequate supplies of personal protective equipment to manage their patients from government and partners.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH
