Lassa fever claims one, 65 under surveillance in Anambra

A woman has been confirmed dead while 65 others are currently being monitored of Lassa Fever in Anambra state, Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health Dr Emmanuel Okafor has said. Okafor, who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Awka, yesterday, said the deceased was a female nursing student in one private […]

A woman has been confirmed dead while 65 others are currently being monitored of Lassa Fever in Anambra state, Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health Dr Emmanuel Okafor has said.

Okafor, who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Awka, yesterday, said the deceased was a female nursing student in one private school in Idemili north when she was admitted on June 11, at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka.

He said the lady was immediately transferred to General Hospital Irua, Edo state for diagnosis where she died on June 17.

“She died at Irua, Edo state on Saturday, but she was admitted at Amaku, Awka before she was transferred and admitted there.

“She was schooling at one private nursing school at Nkpor, she was bleeding from the gums and at the Teaching Hospital she was bleeding from the nostril and virgina, she was confirmed Lassa Fever victim in Irua.

“The moment it was confirmed she had Lassa fever, we started contacts tracing as of now we have about 65 we are following up, two of them have developed fever and their samples have been taken to Irrua," he added.

The Director who other ones are being tracked, advised residents on what to do to ensure they do not transfer it to their loved ones.