Ondo: 102 Persons Positive With Lassa Fever, 15 Dead — NMA

The Ondo State Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Mr. Wale Oke has announced that Lassa fever has killed 15 people in the State between January and February this year.

Mr. Oke also stated that some 102 persons have been confirmed to be positive with the deadly fever.

Oke, who also works at Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owo, disclosed during a press briefing in Akure, the state capital.

He disclosed that Owo, Ose, Akoko North, Akure South and Akure North are the local government areas of the state with the recorded cases.

He said: “As at Thursday February 21, 102 people have been positive to Lassa fever this year.

“82 people in January and 20 people so far in February apart from 15 people dead in January as a result of the fever but no death has been recorded so far in February.

“Most people that died either reported late or were already subjected to alternative treatment and doing self-medication before they eventually came to hospital.

“Their kidneys and livers had been affected as a result of the delay.

He urged residents of the state to report early to the medical centre if they experienced upsurge of temperature in their bodies.

He said “We have contact tracing mechanism whereby we can place on surveillance for 21 days those that may have contact with infected person.

“We continue to monitor their temperature if it is above 37.8 and ask them quick treatment.

According to him, the centre has the highest success rate out of the three treatment centers in Nigeria for Lassa fever cases treatment, giving kudos to its management team.

Oke assured citizens of NMA’s specialized efforts to curb the spread of the disease, saying:

“NMA is concerned with the infection, prevention and control out of the so many pillars involved in the management of Lassa fever hence the basis for the sensitization.”

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