Deadly Lassa Fever outbreak kills seven in Nigeria
February 10, 2012 – NIGERIA – Seven people have reportedly died in Taraba State, following an outbreak of Lassa fever a couple of days ago. The state Commissioner for Health, Prince Mustapha Hamman Gabdo, confirmed this while briefing journalists in the state. The commissioner said four of the victims of the disease died at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, one died at the Government House Clinic, Jalingo, and the two others, who contracted the disease in Taraba State died in Gombe State after travelling there for treatment. He said the ministry had already taken measures to stop the spread of the epidemic and would embark on sensitization campaigns as well as vaccinate the entire people of the state against the disease. Shedding more light on the source of the dreaded fever and its dangers to human beings, the head of Epidemiology unit in the state Ministry of Health, Innocent Vakai, said the disease was transmitted by a specific rat which had no hair on its tail. The epidemiologist said the symptoms of Lassa Fever included severe headache, high fever, vomits that passed through all the openings in the human body, just as he advised persons having such symptoms to rush to the nearest hospital for medical attention. Similarly, the Taraba State House of Assembly, on Thursday, summoned an urgent public importance sitting, followed reported cases of outbreak of Lassa fever in Jalingo, the state capital. Member representing Gembu Constituency, Honorable Abubakar Jugidda, who disclosed this before the assembly, stressed the need for the state government to look into the issue immediately to control the epidemic to save lives. The law maker urged the house to impress on the state government to direct the ministry of health to provide the necessary drugs to the victims of the disease. –Tribune
The epidemic is here warns doctors: Lassa fever has over the years risen to be a quiet killer with victims oblivious of its presence. Cases of infection have been reported in Kano, Nasarawa, Jos, Ogun, Owerri, Ekpoma and Mbaise. The mastomys rat which lives in and around many homes in Africa has been identified as the carrier of the virus. Researchers have raised alarm of the possible use of the virus as a biological weapon. WHEN the Federal Ministry of Health deployed medical experts some weeks ago to Ebonyi and Nasarawa States, many would have assumed it was for some common epidemic that was ravaging those states. Such supposition would be wrong because the speedy deployment of these health experts was to control the outbreak of a viral hemorrhagic disease popularly referred to Lassa fever. Unfortunate as it may sound; Lassa fever has claimed many lives, not only in Nigeria but in other parts of West Africa. Going by the remarks of the World Health Organization, studies have indicated that 300, 000 to 500, 000 cases of Lassa fever and 5, 000 deaths occur yearly across the West African sub region. According to WHO, in fatal cases, death usually takes place within 14 days of onset. It further argued that the disease is especially severe late in pregnancy, which would invariably lead to foetal or maternal death in over 80 per cent of cases in the third trimester. It must also be stated that the diagnosis of the infection can only be done in very highly specialized hospitals and laboratories. The infection is only recognized by detection of the Lassa antigen, virus isolation techniques, or anti-Lassa antibodies. –Sunday Tribune
