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JOS: Plateau State has recorded six confirmed cases of Lassa fever, with four resulting deaths, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, has said.
Baamlong disclosed this at a press briefing in Jos, noting that the cases were reported across Jos South, Jos North, Qua’an Pan, Wase, Shendam and Mangu Local Government Areas.
He said one of the fatalities was a medical doctor, while another doctor is currently receiving treatment after contracting the disease from an infected patient.
According to the commissioner, the affected patients are undergoing treatment, while the Ministry of Health has commenced active contact tracing and surveillance in line with national and international public health protocols.
Baamlong explained that Lassa fever is a viral disease transmitted primarily through rats or close contact with an infected person.
He said transmission could also occur through contact with the blood, urine, stool or vomit of an infected person.
Other routes of infection, he added, include consumption of food or water contaminated with rat urine or faeces, unsafe burial practices, and caring for infected persons without adequate protective measures.
He said symptoms of the disease include headache and general body weakness, adding that fever not responding to malaria treatment, vomiting, diarrhoea and bleeding from the mouth or nose could occur in severe cases.
The commissioner urged residents to maintain a high level of personal and environmental hygiene to prevent rodents from entering homes.
He advised that foodstuffs and grains should be stored in rodent-proof containers, while water should be properly covered to prevent contamination.
Baamlong also cautioned clinicians to strictly observe standard infection prevention and control measures when handling suspected cases to prevent hospital-acquired infections.
He further called on residents to promptly report any suspected case of Lassa fever to the nearest healthcare facility.
The commissioner reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to safeguarding the health of residents, saying necessary drugs for treatment and personal protective equipment for health workers had been provided.
He added that the State Ministry of Health has commenced public awareness campaigns and community health education to curb the spread of the disease.
