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• Death toll increases to 41
From Kemi Yesufu, Fred Itua, Magnus Eze, Abuja, Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure, Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan and Abdullah Tsoho, Dutse
Senate, yesterday, summoned Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole to brief it on the outbreak of the disease and efforts by the ministry to curb its spread.
Other officials of the ministry, who are directly or indirectly involved in the management of the outbreak are also expected to appear before the Senate to explain their roles in its handling.
Senate observed one-minute silence in honour of those who have died and urged Nigerians to be conscious and adhere to rules of personal hygiene.
The summons regardless, elsewhere, Adewole confirmed that one more person has died of the disease, increasing the number of deaths to 41.
Adewole further explained that records from the health ministry’s surveillance team puts the number of suspected cases at 93, while the number of laboratory confirmed cases are 25 and the number of reported deaths at 41, with a case fatality rate of 44 percent.
He, however, called for calm as the Federal Government is providing needed assistance to states and local government areas affected by the disease to prevent new infections or any further spread.
The minister said as at yesterday, no new deaths had been recorded in 48 hours. He pleaded that rather than live in fear, persons in affected areas should remain vigilant in order to report suspected cases and adhere to advised levels of hygiene.
Adewole, who spoke at a joint press briefing with the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed also said the Federal Government has deployed frontline workers to all affected states; distributed information education and communication (IEC) materials and provided Ribavarin anti-viral drugs for prompt treatment of cases.
He gave an instance of Niger State where suspected cases in August of 2015 were not reported to the Federal Ministry of Health until three months later.
The minister disclosed that the ministry has earmarked N140 million in the first instance to contain the outbreak while long-term budgetary provision would be made in due course.
He also said an inter-ministerial committee, comprising Ministers of Education, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Environment, Information and Culture as well as Health would be set up to deal “a final blow on Lassa fever and other related diseases.”
• FG declares Oyo free of disease
The Federal Ministry of Health has given Oyo State a clean bill of health on the outbreak of Lassa fever in 10 states in Nigeria.
Adewole said one index case of Lassa fever was recorded in the state and the patient has been treated, discharged and reunited with his family.
• Jigawa puts health workers on alert
On its part, Jigawa Ministry of Health has organised a special training for health workers with regards to outbreak of Lassa fever in some parts of its neighbouring states.
The state’s Director of Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim, disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Dutse.
The director maintained that the state government was yet to receive a single report on any case related to the disease despite the fact that Jigawa is surrounded by affected states like Kano and Bauchi.
Dr. Ibrahim noted that, “as you know, the disease has no vaccine, and no expert treatment. The best is to avoid it through preventive measures which includes more of hygienic and environmental sanitations.”
• Confusion in Ondo
• No lassa fever in Ondo –Govt
No, 2 have died from the disease –Health commissioner
Meanwhile, there is confusion in Ondo over the disease. While Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade said the state was free of the disease, his colleague in the Health Ministry, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, in a telephone conversation told Daily Sun two people have died from the disease.
Adeyanju said one of the deceased was an 11-year-old secondary school student. The incident, according to the Adeyanju, was the first case of Lassa fever to be recorded in the state.
However, the commissioner noted that the state government has put necessary machinery in place to prevent further spread of the deadly disease.
The Commissioner disclosed that the victims of the disease were from Ose Local Government Area of the state, which shares boundary with Edo state.
He said 31 persons who had contacts with the two deceased are currently under intensive care in the hospital to prevent spread of the disease.
Adeyanju also counselled the people not to harbour sick persons who manifest symptoms of Lassa fever, but refer them to the nearest hospital for prompt medical attention.
He explained that the outbreak control team at the local government has been re-activated, while emergency lines have been released to the public to prevent further spread of the disease.
But, Akinmade said in a statement issued yesterday that outbreak control teams have been constituted in all the 18 local government areas in the state while surveillance is ongoing and emergency lines being activated for quick response from the people.
Declaring that no Lassa fever case has been discovered in the state, Akinmade said it was, however, important for government to be proactive in the activities of its emergency operation, which he said, has now been activated to the public for immediate report of any suspected case of the disease.
He said people in Ose Local Government who shared boundary with Edo State had been continually sensitised, while radio and television jingles are ongoing to ensure that people of the state are more sensitised on the disease.
He added that outbreak control teams have been activated at the local government level to ensure that any suspected case is treated promptly, adding that surveillance has been activated while sensitisation and stakeholders meetings are ongoing.
Other officials of the ministry, who are directly or indirectly involved in the management of the outbreak are also expected to appear before the Senate to explain their roles in its handling.
Senate observed one-minute silence in honour of those who have died and urged Nigerians to be conscious and adhere to rules of personal hygiene.
The summons regardless, elsewhere, Adewole confirmed that one more person has died of the disease, increasing the number of deaths to 41.
Adewole further explained that records from the health ministry’s surveillance team puts the number of suspected cases at 93, while the number of laboratory confirmed cases are 25 and the number of reported deaths at 41, with a case fatality rate of 44 percent.
He, however, called for calm as the Federal Government is providing needed assistance to states and local government areas affected by the disease to prevent new infections or any further spread.
The minister said as at yesterday, no new deaths had been recorded in 48 hours. He pleaded that rather than live in fear, persons in affected areas should remain vigilant in order to report suspected cases and adhere to advised levels of hygiene.
Adewole, who spoke at a joint press briefing with the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed also said the Federal Government has deployed frontline workers to all affected states; distributed information education and communication (IEC) materials and provided Ribavarin anti-viral drugs for prompt treatment of cases.
He gave an instance of Niger State where suspected cases in August of 2015 were not reported to the Federal Ministry of Health until three months later.
The minister disclosed that the ministry has earmarked N140 million in the first instance to contain the outbreak while long-term budgetary provision would be made in due course.
He also said an inter-ministerial committee, comprising Ministers of Education, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Environment, Information and Culture as well as Health would be set up to deal “a final blow on Lassa fever and other related diseases.”
• FG declares Oyo free of disease
The Federal Ministry of Health has given Oyo State a clean bill of health on the outbreak of Lassa fever in 10 states in Nigeria.
Adewole said one index case of Lassa fever was recorded in the state and the patient has been treated, discharged and reunited with his family.
• Jigawa puts health workers on alert
On its part, Jigawa Ministry of Health has organised a special training for health workers with regards to outbreak of Lassa fever in some parts of its neighbouring states.
The state’s Director of Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim, disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Dutse.
The director maintained that the state government was yet to receive a single report on any case related to the disease despite the fact that Jigawa is surrounded by affected states like Kano and Bauchi.
Dr. Ibrahim noted that, “as you know, the disease has no vaccine, and no expert treatment. The best is to avoid it through preventive measures which includes more of hygienic and environmental sanitations.”
• Confusion in Ondo
• No lassa fever in Ondo –Govt
No, 2 have died from the disease –Health commissioner
Meanwhile, there is confusion in Ondo over the disease. While Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade said the state was free of the disease, his colleague in the Health Ministry, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, in a telephone conversation told Daily Sun two people have died from the disease.
Adeyanju said one of the deceased was an 11-year-old secondary school student. The incident, according to the Adeyanju, was the first case of Lassa fever to be recorded in the state.
However, the commissioner noted that the state government has put necessary machinery in place to prevent further spread of the deadly disease.
The Commissioner disclosed that the victims of the disease were from Ose Local Government Area of the state, which shares boundary with Edo state.
He said 31 persons who had contacts with the two deceased are currently under intensive care in the hospital to prevent spread of the disease.
Adeyanju also counselled the people not to harbour sick persons who manifest symptoms of Lassa fever, but refer them to the nearest hospital for prompt medical attention.
He explained that the outbreak control team at the local government has been re-activated, while emergency lines have been released to the public to prevent further spread of the disease.
But, Akinmade said in a statement issued yesterday that outbreak control teams have been constituted in all the 18 local government areas in the state while surveillance is ongoing and emergency lines being activated for quick response from the people.
Declaring that no Lassa fever case has been discovered in the state, Akinmade said it was, however, important for government to be proactive in the activities of its emergency operation, which he said, has now been activated to the public for immediate report of any suspected case of the disease.
He said people in Ose Local Government who shared boundary with Edo State had been continually sensitised, while radio and television jingles are ongoing to ensure that people of the state are more sensitised on the disease.
He added that outbreak control teams have been activated at the local government level to ensure that any suspected case is treated promptly, adding that surveillance has been activated while sensitisation and stakeholders meetings are ongoing.
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