By Raymond GUKAS, Jos
Plateau State government, on Friday revealed that already there was a confirmed case of Lassa fever in Mangu local Government Area of the state, with fears that the disease might have resulted into deaths of some lives within the state.
Five Local Government Areas of the state are on a watch list as the Commissioner for Health, Kuden Kamshak said.
The only death victim from Mangu, the commissioner said came to the state from Abuja, warning that infected persons, who go without medical attention for 14 days of contacting the disease, stand the risk of dying.
He also warned that the disease was likely to manifest in Shendam, Pankshin, Jos North and Langtang South Local Government Areas of the state and cautioned that symptoms of the disease include “headache, sore throat, chest pain, muscle pain, nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and cough”.
“Healthcare personnel should always ensure that they apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for the sick,” he cautioned.
The Federal Government had described as embarrassing, the current outbreak in the country saying number of persons infected rose to 86 while 40 deaths had been recorded in the affected states of Bauchi, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Edo, Plateau, Gombe and Oyo, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole said.
