Lassa Fever Kills 2 In Lagos Hospital, Doctor Infected

Two patients have died of Lassa fever at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos.

Lassa Fever is back in Lagos or did it ever leave?

Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH)’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Chris Bode has confirmed the death of two patients at the hospital.

Prof. Bode also stated that a resident doctor who took part in the autopsy of one of the deceased was infected.

He said that the doctor was receiving treatment at the Isolation Ward in LUTH.

Two suspected cases were being followed up according to Bode.

The first case was detected in a 39-year-old pregnant woman who had a bleeding disorder following a still birth, while the second victim died within a few days of being admitted to the hospital.

The hospital’s management explained that 100 hospital workers who had contact with the index patients were being monitored for the symptoms of the disease.

He said the state Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Health had sent personnel and experts to assist with the tracing and follow-up of contacts in addition to managing suspected cases.

Lassa fever is an acute febrile illness, with bleeding and death in severe cases spread by rats.