The Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Dr Jide Idris, on Tuesday disclosed that Lagos State has recorded twenty (20) suspected cases of Lassa Fever as at January 26, 2016, since the outbreak of the disease in the country in November, 2015.
He said Fourteen (14) suspected cases tested negative, four (4) suspected cases were confirmed positive of Lassa Fever, while the results of two (2) suspected cases are pending. One (1) case was confirmed on the 15th January 2016, two (2) cases were confirmed on 18th January 2016 and one (1) case was confirmed on 26th January, 2016.
The Ministry has line-listed 537 contacts of the confirmed cases and 534 (99%) of the contacts are currently being monitored.
“The last confirmed case was a 27 years old Lady, who travelled to Edo State on December 24 2015 and reeturned to Lagos on January 2, 2016. She became ill on January 14, 2016 and received care in one private hospital and three churches before she was referred on January 23, 2016 to Ijede General Hospital with fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and body weakness. The patient died within a few hours of admission. The case was confirmed as Lassa Fever on January 26, 2016.
“The remains of the patient has been kept in the morgue in leak proof body bag. She is to be buried after due consultation with her family.
“Ninety (90) persons have been line-listed as contacts of the last confirmed case as at January 26, 2016 and contact tracing is on-going,” he said.
He further said members of the public were being sensitized on the risk of being infected with the disease.
“Catching and preparing infected rats as food, inhaling tiny particles in the air contaminated with infected rat urine or droppings, direct contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids, through mucous membranes, like eyes, nose or mouth put people at greater risk of infection with Lassa Fever.”
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