By Anayo Ezugwu

DESPITE the federal government’s effort to end the spread of Lassa fever in the country, the deadly disease is still killing Nigerians. The latest outbreak of Lassa fever is at the Federal Medical Centre, in Umuahia, where a medical doctor was confirmed dead as a result of the disease.

John Okiyi, commissioner for information in Abia State, who confirmed the outbreak of the deadly Lassa fever, said the government and the hospital management swung into action to check the spread of the disease. “The Abia State Government is aware of the reported outbreak of Lassa Fever at FMC, Umuahia. The state Ministry of Health is working with the authorities of the FMC to ensure full containment of the disease,” he said.

Okiyi said that prophylactic treatment of others, who might have come in contact with the victims has commenced in earnest. “We have fully deployed all our emergency medical response systems to instantly ensure full containment and management of the outbreak.”

He charged all those who had contact with the child, suspected to be the index case, and the medical doctor, who lost her life, to report immediately to the hospital for further review. The commissioner assured the people that drug for the treatment of the disease was in adequate supply in the state.

According to him, there is no cause for panic as the disease can be successfully treated, especially if diagnosed early. However, the authorities of the hospital have said that it was too early to conclude that the deceased contracted the disease in the hospital.

Nigeria appears grossly deficient in its response to the Lassa fever menace. Since early 2015 through most of 2017, Lassa fever outbreaks have been rampant in the country.

Between January and December 2017, a total of 733 suspected Lassa fever cases with 143 laboratory confirmed cases and 71 deaths were recorded in 97 LGAs and 29 States of the Federation. Two deaths from Lassa fever were also recorded at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, with at least 150 suspected cases, mostly healthcare workers, placed under surveillance.

The World Health Organisation, WHO, said from January 1 to February 25, this year, the country, recorded 1081 suspected cases and 90 deaths in I8 states. The states include, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti and Federal Capital Territory. Others are Gombe, Imo, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Rivers, and Taraba.

During this period, 317 cases have been classified as confirmed and eight as probable, including 72 deaths (case fatality rate for confirmed and probable cases stood at 22 percent). A total of 2845 contacts have been identified in 18 states. Fourteen health care workers have been affected in six states (Benue, Ebonyi, Edo, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Ondo), with four deaths (case fatality rate of 29 percent). As of February 28, four out of the 14 health care workers were confirmed positive for Lassa fever.

According to WHO, prevention of Lassa fever relies on community engagement and promoting hygienic conditions to discourage rodents from entering homes. In healthcare settings, staff should consistently implement standard infection prevention and control measures when caring for patients to prevent nosocomial infections.

Travellers from areas where Lassa fever is endemic can export the disease to other countries, although this rarely occurs. The diagnosis of Lassa fever should be considered in febrile patients returning from West Africa, especially if they have been in rural areas or hospitals in countries where Lassa fever is endemic. Health care workers seeing a patient suspected to have Lassa fever should immediately contact local and national experts for guidance and to arrange for laboratory testing.

Lassa fever is endemic in the West African countries of Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Benin, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo and Nigeria. As of February 22, 10 suspected cases who fell ill in Nigeria were reported in Benin, and confirmed cases have been reported from Beninese states that border Nigeria.

The outbreak of Lassa fever is considered active in one Nigerian state that borders Benin and two that border Cameroon. Lassa fever is not considered endemic in Cameroon and no outbreaks of Lassa fever have been reported in recent years.

– Apr. 13, 2018 @ 14:25 GMT |

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