Following the death of a medical doctor who was confirmed Lassa Fever positive, 32 persons have been quarantined and two private hospitals shutdown in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
On the 18th of August, 2016, one a case of Lassa fever was reported in the state, the confirmed case was a medical practitioner resident in Asaba who hailed from Anambra State.
He was first admitted at a private Hospital in the State and was later referred to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State.
The patient’s condition deteriorated and he died after 3 hours on admission even as a blood sample earlier collected was confirmed to be positive for Lassa fever at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua, Edo State.
Following the incidence, the late Doctor’s hospital in Umuaji and the hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac, all in Asaba have been shut down and fumigated.
His wife’s blood sample was taken and tested and it came out negative at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua, Edo State.
Out of the 32 persons currently in isolation includes 11 persons from the immediate family of the deceased, 18 persons at the private Hospital where the patient was first admitted and 3 other persons who made contact with the deceased.
Two LGA Disease Surveillance Officers in Oshimili South and Oshimili North are actively involved as part of the State response team. They have been monitoring the temperature of those under surveillance, and this will be done for a period of 21 days.
The Lassa Fever Response Team has been reactivated
Following the outbreak of the deadly decease, sensitisation of Health workers in the state is ongoing for them to have a high index of suspicion and take preventive measures when managing infectious cases.
Also, awareness creation through the various mass media so the general public can understand how the disease is transmitted and therefore take preventive measures to forestall its spread even as outbreak prevention materials have been pre-positioned in high risk disease outbreak LGAs.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), non-contact thermometers and other items have been distributed to the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all of the 25 LGAs in the State by the State Ministry of Health.
The drug Rivabirin has been procured for immediate case management.
