Lassa Fever: Three Confirmed Dead Two Hospitalised In Taraba

By Ben ADAJI

Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, has confirmed the death of three persons while two others are receiving treatment in the recent Lassa Fever outbreak in Taraba.
The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Wiza Inusa announced this Tuesday to journalists while giving an update of the outbreak.
Inusa said the current outbreak started on 25th December, 2015.
“ So far, we have a total number of five cases of which we have had three mortalities,” the Medical Director disclosed.
He further urged the public not to panic, ‘ because, according to him, every effort is been made to contain the situation,’
Inusa advised residents to engage themselves in ‘simple basic hygienic procedures to contain the situation’, “ As we all know that this disease is carried by rodents, and simple basic hygienic procedures as to how they keep their foods, how they keep the plates and pots in the house. Clean the environment so that it does not invite rats,” he explained.
The Medical Director however urged the public to quickly report to the hospital whenever they experienced any strange condition in their health.
“ We will appeal to the general public that anybody who had fallen sick and especially if they have developed fever or bleeding problem or abdominal pain for which simple remedy has not given them any substantial improvement, they should not delay reporting to the hospital,” he urges.
Inusa added that Lassa Fever is a disease that ‘ if treatment started early then the mortality rate will be very low.
“ Avoid crowded areas, avoid too much handshakes, and if anyone dies in your family of unexplained condition, the medical personnel should be informed,” he said
He assured the Taraba residents that the Federal Medical Centre and the state government were prepared to deal with the outbreak.
“We hope that this outbreak would soon be contained,” the Medical Director added.
NationalTrail investigations revealed that two medical doctors, Dr Manu Abba Tukur and Dr Aisha Hasiru Bobboji also died after contracting the disease while treating Lassa Fever at the Federal Medical Centre Jalingo in some years back.


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