Gombe state has recorded 32 new suspected Lassa fever cases with one death out of five that were confirmed positive from January to March, this year.
The state epidemiologist, Dr. Nuhu Bille, stated this while speaking during an interactive and sensitisation session with journalists and religious leaders organised by the Gombe state Primary Health Care Development Agency with support by UNICEF in Gombe Thursday.
“This year, we recorded 32 suspected Lassa fever cases and five out of them were confirmed to be Lassa fever; one died, four recovered and 26 also diagnosed and the results showed negative and one result is yet to be out.
He advised the general public to imbibe the culture of reporting cases of fever to hospital for adequate action and treatment.
“November to March 2019 is a period we expect the outbreak of Lassa fever; the most important thing in managing the case is early detection. When you detect it in time 75 per cent of chances of survival are there; so people should report to the hospital in time before it will be too late, because it’s free of charge.
“If you have symptoms of fever, cough and catarrh that refuse to go with our conventional drugs within two days, you should report to the hospital.
Bille said there were enough drugs for the treatment of the disease that would last for five years; hence the need for people to report the case in time to the hospital.
