1 Dies, 2 Isolated In Benue Lassa Fever Outbreak

One person has died out of the three confirmed cases of Lassa Fever from seven suspected cases in Benue State.

The victim died of complications before his result was out from the laboratory where it was sent for diagnosis.

The State’s Epidemiologist, Dr Asema Msuega who disclosed this in a telephone interview with our correspondent, explained that blood samples were taken from seven suspected persons to the laboratory for diagnosis, and three came out to be positive to Lassa Fever.

According to him, “Out of the three confirmed Lassa Fever cases, one of them died even before the result came out and two are admitted at the Isolation Centre at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) Makurdi.”

Msuega said contact tracing had commenced for relatives of the three confirmed cases and that four of their close relatives were already manifesting symptoms of Lassa fever.

He warned citizens against allowing rodents to live with them in the house and against exposing their foodstuff to rodents, saying both cooked and uncooked food should be covered properly

The Epidemiologist also urged citizens to always sleep in ventilated apartments to avoid the spread of any disease outbreak, including Lassa Fever, to others during the heat period.