An ecologist extracts a sample of blood from a Mastomys Natalensis rodent in the village of Jormu in southeastern Sierra Leone February 8, 2011. Lassa fever, named after the Nigerian town where it was first identified in 1969, is among a U.S. list of "category A" diseases -- deemed to have the potential for major public health impact -- alongside anthrax and botulism. The disease is carried by the Mastomys Natalensis rodent, found across sub-Saharan Africa and often eaten as a source of protein. It infects an estimated 300,000-500,000 people each year, and kills about 5,000. Picture taken February 8, 2011. To match Reuters-Feature BIOTERROR-AFRICA/ REUTERS/Simon Akam (SIERRA LEONE - Tags: HEALTH SOCIETY ANIMALS) - GM1E72F07HC01
April 9, 2024
The Kogi Commissioner for Health, Dr Adams Abdulazeez, has refuted reports of any outbreak of Lassa fever in any of the Local Government Areas of the state.
Abdulazeez, in a news briefing in Lokoja on Tuesday, said that there was no case of Lassa fever outbreak in the last four weeks in Kogi, as being speculated in some sections of the media.
The social media had reported that a student died of haemorrhagic fever and that people who came in contact with him had been isolated.
The commissioner said that the case of a deceased student, who was admitted to the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) Lokoja, was not lassa fever.
Abdulazeez explained that the deceased student, who was admitted at FTH facility, presented complaints of fever and bleeding from the gum.
According to Abdulazeez, while samples were taken and sent to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Abuja, the patient unfortunately lost his life before the result was released.
The commissioner said that the result of the investigation came out to be negative to lassa fever.
The commissioner maintained that there had been no current outbreak of lassa fever in Kogi in the last few weeks.
“The suspected case has turned out to be negative for lassa fever.
The commissioner, therefore, advised members of the public to disregard the report as no case of lassa fever had been reported in the state. (NAN)
