Student nurse contracts Lassa fever in Ekiti

Lassa fever has spread to Ekiti State with authorities announcing that one index case of the deadly virus has been recorded in the state.

It was announced that a patient is currently on admission at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti (FETHI) and that the patient tested positive to the infection on Saturday.

The Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Olurotimi Ojo, who made the announcement in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, said “over the weekend, the state confirmed a case of Lassa fever that is being managed at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti. The patient is stable and had commenced treatment."

Dr. Ojo, who spoke at a stakeholders' meeting on Lassa Fever, explained that “immediately the patient was diagnosed and confirmed, the management began the process of contact tracing. Once you have an index case, there is tendency of having a primary case and possible spread and this could be dangerous."

He, however, allayed the fears of the people of the state, saying "the doctors are handling the situation and monitoring the situation very closely. So, nobody has been quarantined after the contact tracing."

He added that the state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose had, long before now, approved an isolation ward at the Oba Adejugbe General Hospital in Ado Ekiti as a proactive step prior to the breakout.

Dr Ojo also added that he had confirmed from the Chief Medical Director of FETHI, Dr Lawrence Ayodele Majekodunmi, that the patient was a student of the FETHI School of Nursing, a nurses' training arm of the teaching hospital.