Lassa fever: Enugu confirms one death

The Enugu State Government on Monday confirmed the death of one person from Lassa fever in a health facility within Enugu metropolis.

Dr Ifeanyi Agujiobi, the Permanent Secretary, the state Ministry of Health, made the confirmation to our reporter in Enugu.

He said that the health providers at the health facility tried to manage the patient but lost him.

Agujiobi revealed that the ministry’s epidemiology officials had commenced massive contact-tracing of those people that had contact with the patient.

He said that it was only one person, whose case was confirmed by Lassa fever test centre that died in the state.

He said the state has had no other suspected or confirmed case of Lassa fever.

The permanent secretary said that the ministry has deployed a team of health epidemiology officials to commence massive contact-tracing even up to the customers where the deceased patient sources his food.

“We have already done massive deployment of experts in epidemiology and other health professionals to start contact-tracing of the doctors, nurses and other health workers in the hospital that attended to the patient.

“The ministry will take the contact-tracing to the family members and friends as well as even the food vendors patronised by the deceased.’’ he said.

Agujiobi noted that the state would also commence a massive sensitisation against the disease in local media using native languages.