Two people including a pregnant woman have been confirmed dead following the outbreak of Lassa fever in Nasarawa state.
Ifedayo Adetifa, Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said the victims are a pregnant woman and a medical doctor.
Another medical doctor linked to the index case has also been confirmed to have Lassa fever and he is currently receiving medical care in FCT.
Adetifa expressed;
On the 8th of December 2021, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was notified of the death of two persons from Lassa fever. The first case was a pregnant woman who presented in a health facility in Nasarawa State and the next one, a medical doctor involved in the management of the patient that later sought medical care in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In addition, another medical doctor linked to the index case has also been confirmed to have Lassa fever and he is currently receiving medical care in FCT.
He further stated;
Nasarawa State Ministry of Health with support of NCDC has commenced an in-depth epidemiological investigation of the cases to understand the possible source of infection and the extent of spread of the disease. Contact tracing of all the close contacts of the patients has commenced.
Following these confirmations of Lassa fever cases in Nasarawa state and FCT, the NCDC has intensified the activities of the national multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary Lassa fever Technical Working Group (TWG) for Lassa fever surveillance and response in the country. Lassa fever Emergency Operation Centres have also been activated by the affected state and FCT. The NCDC sympathises with the families of the patients and the healthcare workers who have lost their lives to the disease.
On December 10, Nasarawa State Government confirmed two cases of Lassa fever since the beginning of the dry season in the state.
Dr Janet Angbazo, Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Health, had made the disclosure at a news conference in Lafia last Friday.
Angbazo had said that the two infected persons were receiving treatment in medical facilities at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
She had also revealed that three other contacts of the victims were under medical examinations in the state.
Angbazo noted;
The team from the state has already carried out contact tracing of the infected persons and suspected cases. The samples of their contacts are also taken and we are waiting for the results.
She pointed out that the symptoms of Lassa fever usually manifested one to three weeks after the patient comes in contact with the virus.
The permanent secretary urged members of the public with symptoms such as slight fever, general malaise, weakness and headache to avail themselves for Lassa fever testing.
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness that is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rodents.
Person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings when there is the absence of or inadequate infection control measures.
Lassa fever presents initially like any other febrile illness such as malaria, so a high index of suspicion is required especially for attending healthcare workers.
Its symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.
The time between infection and the appearance of symptoms of the disease is 3 to 21 days. Early treatment and diagnosis increase the chances of survival.
