Ogun records first case of Lassa fever in Ota
Ogun State government yesterday confirmed that it has recorded its first case of the deadly Lassa fever.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, who broke the news to journalists during a press conference held in Abeokuta, the state capita, said the victim was discovered on Wednesday night around 8pm at an hospital in Sango/ Ota in the Ado-Odo/ Ota Local Government Area of the state.
The commissioner explained that the 28-yearold victim (name withheld) who is an indigene returned to the state on January 15, 2016 from Ebonyi State where she had travelled to for a wedding since January 8 this year.
“Few days after her return, she started having fever. She reported at Rubi Hospital, Ota, on January 25, 2016. Her case was managed there for some days till February 2, before she was transferred to the Central Hospital, Ota,” the commissioner explained. According to him, authorities at the State Hospital, Ota, contacted the Ministry of Health when it was obvious that the victim was exhibiting symptoms of the disease.
He stated further that his ministry took her blood sample and sent it to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, from where results of tests conducted on her confirmed the disease.
Ipaye added that the victim has been moved to the isolation unit of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOUTH, Sagamu, while the two hospitals where the lady had been treated for malaria before the state government took over her case have been sealed off until they are de-contaminated to prevent possible spread of the disease.
He stated that 60 persons who had primary contacts both from the first and second hospitals where she was earlier admitted have been placed on surveillance to enable government observe them for the incubation period of 21 days.
The commissioner also disclosed that the first 19 cases reported a fortnight ago have completed their incubation days and that all of them, including the FUNAAB student earlier placed under surveillance have been discharged and declared free of Lassa fever.
While assuring that the state government is keeping tab on them, Ipaye also allayed the people’s fear, stressing that government would not leave any stone unturned to prevent the spread of the disease. The commissioner urged the people to report suspicious case of bleeding or fever to the nearest health center in the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, who broke the news to journalists during a press conference held in Abeokuta, the state capita, said the victim was discovered on Wednesday night around 8pm at an hospital in Sango/ Ota in the Ado-Odo/ Ota Local Government Area of the state.
The commissioner explained that the 28-yearold victim (name withheld) who is an indigene returned to the state on January 15, 2016 from Ebonyi State where she had travelled to for a wedding since January 8 this year.
“Few days after her return, she started having fever. She reported at Rubi Hospital, Ota, on January 25, 2016. Her case was managed there for some days till February 2, before she was transferred to the Central Hospital, Ota,” the commissioner explained. According to him, authorities at the State Hospital, Ota, contacted the Ministry of Health when it was obvious that the victim was exhibiting symptoms of the disease.
He stated further that his ministry took her blood sample and sent it to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, from where results of tests conducted on her confirmed the disease.
Ipaye added that the victim has been moved to the isolation unit of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOUTH, Sagamu, while the two hospitals where the lady had been treated for malaria before the state government took over her case have been sealed off until they are de-contaminated to prevent possible spread of the disease.
He stated that 60 persons who had primary contacts both from the first and second hospitals where she was earlier admitted have been placed on surveillance to enable government observe them for the incubation period of 21 days.
The commissioner also disclosed that the first 19 cases reported a fortnight ago have completed their incubation days and that all of them, including the FUNAAB student earlier placed under surveillance have been discharged and declared free of Lassa fever.
While assuring that the state government is keeping tab on them, Ipaye also allayed the people’s fear, stressing that government would not leave any stone unturned to prevent the spread of the disease. The commissioner urged the people to report suspicious case of bleeding or fever to the nearest health center in the state.
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