Lassa Fever: Lagos calls for calm, advises public on safety precautions

The Lagos State government has called on residents to be calm and not panic, assuring them that the federal government, in active collaboration with the state government, is doing everything possible to control the spread of the Lassa Fever disease in the state.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga, the government noted that the Ministry of Health in line with international standards is currently carrying out ‘contact tracing’ to determine those who may have been infected with the disease, adding that isolation centres have been prepared to manage suspected and confirmed cases while drugs and other materials have also been prepositioned at designated facilities.

The Special Adviser, while confirming five cases of the disease, stated that two deaths had been recorded, noting that the remaining three patients were responding to treatment in designated isolation centres.

He noted that the first case of the disease; a 32 year old lady with bleeding complications of pregnancy died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) on July 25, and had a post-mortem examination performed on the 27th of July with the result of viral studies coming out positive for Lassa fever on the 29th of July.

“The second case, a known sickle cell disease patient, died on August 5 also at LUTH. He was said to have travelled to one of the neighboring states before coming down with the disease. The two cases have since been buried in line with prescribed international standards,” he explained.

The Special Adviser stated that the health personnel who came in direct contact with the patients are still being followed up for early signs of the disease. He added that three health workers who developed symptoms have tested positive and are on admission, receiving treatment in an isolation ward in LUTH.

Onanuga disclosed that Laboratory tests on two other suspected cases at Mainland Hospital referred from General Hospital, Lagos, and a private hospital in Imota were negative.

He stressed the need for members of the public to ensure and maintain adequate personal and environmental hygiene at all times as part of the precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease in the state.

Onanuga also advised members of the public to avoid contact with rats, to always cover their food and water properly, cook all their food thoroughly, as well as block all hideouts and holes through which rats can enter the house.