Ogun Lassa Fever Patient Not Dead – Health Commissioner

The Ogun state commissioner for health, Dr. Tomi Coker has confirmed a case of lassa fever in the state and assured that all hands are on deck to curtail the situation.

In a press release by the Commissioner yesterday, it was revealed that the suspected Lassa Fever case was confirmed by the Ogun State Virology Laboratory on January 24 2020.

According to Dr. Coker, the patient is a pregnant 29 year- old who took ill and was referred to the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Abeokuta.

However, contrary to some reports circulating in the media that the patient is dead, the Commissioner revealed that the patient is not dead but was only transferred to a federal specialist hospital in Edo state which has adequate facilities to care for a pregnant lassa fever patient.

She said, “the patient is not dead as she was transferred to the Federal Specialist Hospital in Irua, Edo State, whose facilities provide the patient with the full benefit of multidisciplinary care required for her due to her pregnancy.”

She further stated that the Rapid Response Team has commenced line listing of all who have come into contact with the patient for surveillance purposes, including her relatives and hospital staff that managed the case.

Dr. Coker stated that the State Government acted proactively by putting all counter measures in place to contain the situation.

The commissioner thereby urges residents to maintain proper hygiene. she added that members of the public should avoid contact with rodents, pointing out that they should cover their food properly and ensure that their food is warmed before eating it.

“ We have given thermometers to those who have been in contact with the patient to monitor their temperatures and also provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at the designated treatment center at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu. Our health educators and officers have been deployed into action and are educating the public on ways to avoid being infected with Lassa Fever.

“Other emerging or suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fevers are to be isolated in the designated quarantine areas for barriers nursing, until definitive diagnosis is concluded.

“The State Epidemiologist and DNSO should immediately be notified on telephone numbers 09099140121 and 09099140122 in case of any suspected case,” Dr. Coker added.