Delta govt confirms cases of Lassa fever in 4 LGAs

The Delta State Government has confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever in Okpe, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, and Ndokwa East local government areas of the state.

The state government confirmed the disease outbreak in the state with four cases so far recorded.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, made the announcement while briefing newsmen in Asaba, the state capital.

“In week 12, we have four confirmed cases so far recorded with a fatality rate of 50 per cent though the general fatality rate for Lassa fever is 1 – 15 per cent. So, we are doing everything humanly possible to ensure that we curtail the transmission from patient to health workers and from patients to relatives,” he said.

He called on Delta residents to keep their environment clean and ensure that rats do not breed in or around their homes.

He said in the statement that government has constituted Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) across the state to monitor the situation and ensure residents are periodically updated on the development.

Onojaeme said the government was doing a lot of advocacies, especially to health workers, and sensitisation of residents to have a high index of suspicion when they see those cases.

He said that the state government is working closely with Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State, and has been able to achieve less than 24 hours of getting test results on Lassa fever.