Lassa fever: FMC Lokoja confirms 3 cases, 1 death

The Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Lokoja has confirmed three cases of Lassa fever and one death in the last one week.

Dr Bernard Ododo, the Head of Clinical Services (HCSs), disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Lokoja on Sunday.

Ododo said that five suspected cases of Lassa fever were reported in the hospital in the last one week, out of which three were positive, and one died.

”Five suspected cases reported at the hospital in the last one week; three already tested positive, of which one died. Two cases already transferred to Lassa Fever Management Center at Irua Specialist Hospital in Edo State.

”Two others (of which one has died) have their results awaited from NCDC Laboratory in Abuja,” Ododo said.

He advised residents to adopt all the necessary precautions to prevent the outbreak of epidemic prone diseases in the state.

He further urged the public to seek early medical attention in case of fever, headache, sore throat, vomiting, joint pain, abdominal pain and at late stage; bleeding from body orifices.

He advised the relatives or care givers to patients, to be careful and use gloves whenever they touch or evacuate effluents and wastes from the patient.

”For health care givers, universal safety precaution is key. Wash hands with sanitizers, glove and kitting on personal protection equipment kit (PPE) are necessary.

”Treatment is more effective if detected early and treatment commenced immediately. Lassa is highly infectious and contagious, everyone must beware,” Ododo advised.

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