Lassa Fever Claims Two In Ogun
Lassa fever, the viral disease known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF) Has claimed lives of two health workers in Ogun State.
The victims, an assistant nursing officer, Adesuyi Abolanle at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, and a mortuary attendant whose identity could not be ascertained were said to have handled a patient with the disease symptoms.
While Adesuyi was said to have attended to the patient, while the morgue attendant was the one who handled
the corpse of the patient.
The sudden development forced the hospital management to investigate the cause of the death at the
University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.
The result which came in yesterday confirmed it was Lassa Fever that killed them respectively on Friday and Sunday.
It was learnt that two others – a doctor and a nurse were reportedly being attended to at the intensive care
unit of Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.
It was further learnt that the morgue attendant was a serving corps member who was on ground to help his father
who manages the morgue at the FMC in Abeokuta.
Meanwhile, activities at the hospital on Tuesday were put on hold as nurses on duty and other workers, refused to report for duty due to fear of Lassa Fever.
But in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, called on the management and members of staff of the Federal Medical Center, Idi Aba in Abeokuta not to panic over the case of Lassa Fever.
Allaying the fear of the staff, particularly the nurses, Ipaye said the situation does not call for unnecessary
panic, adding that Lassa Fever can only be transmitted by getting in contact with body fluid unlike that of Ebola which can be Transmited through air and some other means.
He said the State Ministry in collaboration with FMC would quickly set up an isolation center at the premises to attend to emergencies of such, urging the nurses to always attend to all patients in the most
hygienically acceptable manner.
“We are going to immediately create an isolation center here at FMC to cater for unexpected cases and emergency on public health issues like Lassa fever to include others communicable diseases and have set officers out to confirm the root of the cases”. Ipaye submitted.
