Abia Yet To Record New Case Of Lassa Fever - NMA

Posted by Admin | 6 years ago | 1,875 times



The Abia state chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Prince Onyemachi says the state has not recorded any new case of Lassa fever.

Dr. Onyemachi made this known in an exclusive interview with Factnewsonline.

The current outbreak of the deadly Lassa fever is the worst in the country’s history since 2013.

Like a bushfire in the harsh harmattan weather, it has spread to 20 states of the federation including Abia.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) from 1st January through 18th March this year, 1,495 cases and 119 deaths have been recorded in 19 states.  

During the same period, seventeen health care workers in six states were infected with the disease while four lost their lives.

The latest report shows that the death toll in the case of healthcare workers has risen to 18. Among the victims is Dr. Chizaram Ndukwu of Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.

The Abia NMA Chairman, Dr. Onyemachi said though the state has not been certified Lassa fever free, however, the state can be said to have contained the outbreak.

He said members of the response team are working round the clock to contain the outbreak by conducting a test and tracing people that came in contact with the dead victims.

 

Dr. Ugochukwu Onyenoro of the Department of Public Health, Federal Medical Centre, lamented the death of his professional colleagues and attributed it to inadequate working equipment.

Dr. Onyenoro said WHO, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Doctors without Borders are already in the state to curb the spread of the disease.

He assured that no Abian will die of Lassa fever as long as it is detected early due to the availability of treatment.

 

The two medical practitioners advised Abians to maintain a clean environment and protect their foods from rats that carry the Lassa fever virus.


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