Lassa fever kills 3 health workers in Kaduna

The dreaded Lassa fever has hit Kaduna State. So far, three people have been confirmed dead at the Saint Louis Hospital Specialist Hospital in Zonkwoa, Zango Kataf Local Government Area.

The Commissioner for Health, Professor Jonathan Nok, who confirmed the incident to newsmen on Monday, announced that a medical doctor, a nurse and pregnant woman were among the deceased.

Nok said that “the doctor and the nurse showed signs of Lassa fever shortly after operating a pregnant woman who was brought in from another hospital in Kafanchan. Few days later, they died after they were tested positive to the deadly disease.

Meanwhile, the affected hospitals have been put under isolation with the intention of tracing the primary and secondary contacts with the deceased, he said.

Thus, Nok enjoined residents not to panic, stressing “government is on top of the situation”, while he advised them to maintain personal hygiene around their homes.

It would be recalled that the commissioner had about a month ago denied the case of Lassa fever in the state. However, he said samples of suspected cases were sent to Abuja laboratory analysis.