Nigeria's Capital, Abuja, Records First Lassa Fever Death

fatality in the nation's capital since the latest
outbreak in November 2015.
The minister of health, Isaac Adewole, made the
announcement Wednesday evening at the
National Hospital, the press director, Boade
Akinola, at the health ministry, said in a
statement.
The medical director of the hospital, Jack
Momoh, who briefed the minister, said the
patient was brought in unconscious from a
private hospital in Kubwa, a suburb of Abuja,
where he had been admitted for eight days.
The 33-year-old newly married lived in Jos,
Plateau State, but travelled to see a family
member in Kubwa because of his illness. He
however died within 24hours of presentation at
the national hospital.
The statement said the minister had directed
that all primary and secondary contacts of the
victim, including the staff of the private hospital
in Kubwa, an Abuja suburb, where the deceased
was first managed for one week before referral
to National Hospital, be tracked.
He also advised that family members should
report at the nearest hospital if anyone has
fever for more than two days.
The minister, however called on the residents of
Abuja not to panic but to maintain high level
vigilance and present themselves for test if they
feel unhealthy or they feel symptoms of Lassa
fever which include high fever, stooling,
tiredness, vomiting, etc., adding that self-
medication should be avoided at this period.
The latest death from Lassa fever brings the
total number of deaths to 43 in the country
(from 10 states).
The government said on Tuesday that Lassa
fever, an acute viral illness, had claimed 41 lives
from 93 reported cases in 10 states of the
country.
The first case of the current outbreak was
reported from Bauchi in November 2015.
Mr. Adewole said at a news conference on
Tuesday that the government had raised a four-
man expert committee, chaired by Michael
Asuzu, a professor, to visit Kano, Niger and
Bauchi, the three most endemic states.
''The committee will embark on a fact finding
mission, assess the current situation, document
response experiences, identify gaps and proffer
recommendations on how to prevent future
occurrences.'' Mr. Adewole, a professor, said.
The minister assured the public the task of the
committee was not to apportion blame but
rather to document lessons learnt for better
planning of an affective responsive.
According to Mr. Adewole, part of the long term
response is to establish an inter-ministerial
committee to deliver a final blow on Lassa fever
and other related diseases.
The committee comprises the ministers of
Education, Agriculture and Natural Resources,
Environment, Information and Culture as well as
Health.
He advised communities to improve on their
hygiene, including food hygiene and food
protection practices.
He also urged the public to avoid contact with
rodents as well as food contaminated with rat’s
secretions and excretions.
According to him, the affected states are Bauchi,
Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Edo,
Plateau, Gombe and Oyo.
''The public is hereby assured that government
and other stakeholders are working tirelessly to
address the outbreak and bring it to timely end.''
Said the minister.
He said the ministry had ordered for the
immediate release of adequate quantities of
''ribavirin'', the specific antiviral drug for Lassa
fever, to the affected states for prompt
treatment of cases.
Mr. Adewole said Nigeria had the capability to
diagnose Lassa fever, adding that ''all the cases
reported so far were confirmed by our
labouratories.''