Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever, recording nine deaths in the state.
Akeredolu disclosed that a total of 102 suspected cases of Lassa fever occurred in eight local government areas of the state.
According to him, “Thirty-six of 79 cases have been confirmed with laboratory results, including nine deaths.
He said “Patients are being managed at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, while confirmatory tests are done at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State.
The governor noted that he had reactivated Emergency Preparedness and Response Team at both state and local government level to contain the spread of the disease adding that the move is for active surveillance and contact tracing in the affected local government areas.
Akeredolu explained that some Personal Protective Equipment, (PPE), drugs, and hospital beds were donated to FMC, Owo, while some nursing staff were also released to the Treatment Centre to support management of the patients.
He added that the Infectious Disease Isolation Unit at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, had also been expanded. He stated that “At present, 127 hospital contacts and 308 community contacts were listed in all the affected local government areas while 30 had completed their follow-up,”.
He assured that vehicles have been dedicated for transportation of samples and referred patients to Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua in Edo State.
