10-year-old Boy Dies From Lassa Fever In Ebonyi State.

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlq6k99mfF5wUpGq5a7J4s78PwtttXleKaR2XzHixZk0kdxey19jGT5E5f7mKSLDtk7cXSRaEngpECfXC3dd0WE_GupIHP3M2O35oKosn5aVIX7kjOz7BvMpg9DY-8q2Bt_XmLsoPUgNcY/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlq6k99mfF5wUpGq5a7J4s78PwtttXleKaR2XzHixZk0kdxey19jGT5E5f7mKSLDtk7cXSRaEngpECfXC3dd0WE_GupIHP3M2O35oKosn5aVIX7kjOz7BvMpg9DY-8q2Bt_XmLsoPUgNcY/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;"/></a>Ebonyi State, weekend, recorded its second confirmed case of Lassa Fever as a 10-year-old boy in Igbeagu in Izzi Local Government died from the disease.<br/> <br/> The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike, who confirmed the death of the boy, said the victim died after he was discharged from Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, FETHA.<br/> <br/> The Commissioner described the incident as unfortunate, adding that the deceased was a day student in one of the primary schools in the state.<br/> Dr. Umezuruike said the boy’s parents were based in Abuja, but that the report before them did not show that the deceased travelled to meet with his parents in recent times.<br/> <br/> He also explained that the 10-year old was not rushed to the hospital immediately he became sick, adding that he responded to treatment at first and as such the hospital discharged him.<br/> <br/> Umezuruike said: “But unfortunately, he died the same day he was discharged. His case was surprising because the hospital thought he was all right after the treatment. Before he was discharged, we took his sample which later came out positive.”<br/> <br/> Umezuruike also confirmed that the case was the second recorded in the state, adding that “the first person was a student of Ebonyi State University.”<br/> <br/> He said the Ministry of Health had begun surveillance and tracing of close associates of the last victim to enable them curtail the spread of the disease in the state.</div>

10-year-old Boy Dies From Lassa Fever In Ebonyi State.

Ebonyi State, weekend, recorded its second confirmed case of Lassa Fever as a 10-year-old boy in Igbeagu in Izzi Local Government died from ...

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Woman dies of Lassa fever in Lagos

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl36_1cqSar4loNK44SLBHgP0YNLrak3IJkh503fbchZEmgS3oeyLGrLYXJ5mY6_XzyS-9_ocTA7H0eMT0lOELMvQ9hqcoPhOdCCqP17AFwFDQQZpVa9zyxtnzaWoGWxgZ62cuvSXbZfe/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl36_1cqSar4loNK44SLBHgP0YNLrak3IJkh503fbchZEmgS3oeyLGrLYXJ5mY6_XzyS-9_ocTA7H0eMT0lOELMvQ9hqcoPhOdCCqP17AFwFDQQZpVa9zyxtnzaWoGWxgZ62cuvSXbZfe/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;"/></a> <br/> A 27 year old lady died from Lassa fever in Lagos on Tuesday January 26th. ‎Confirming her death, the Lagos state Commissioner for Health, Jide Idris, said the lady died of the disease at the Ijede General Hospital. She is said to have traveled to Lagos from Edo state on January 2nd and had been down with a fever.<br/> <br/> <br/> "The lady had received care in one private hospital and three churches before she was referred to Ijede General Hospital with fever. She died few hours of admission. We confirmed that she died of Lassa fever on Tuesday. The remains of the patient have been kept in the morgue in leak proof body bag. She is to be buried after due consultation with her family. So far, Lagos State has recorded 20 suspected cases of Lassa fever since the outbreak of the disease.<br/> <br/> As of now, 14 suspected cases tested negative, while four cases were confirmed positive of Lassa fever. The results of two suspected cases are pending. The ministry has listed 537 contacts of the confirmed cases and 534 of the contacts are currently being monitored.”‎he said</div>

Woman dies of Lassa fever in Lagos

A 27 year old lady died from Lassa fever in Lagos on Tuesday January 26th. ‎Confirming her death, the Lagos state Commissioner for Health,...

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Lassa fever: Lagos officials kill 7,243 rats in markets

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35bgEnMf9CT55ArY0bjZz3wVTGFL5eqDqA29AiHA7Ix0TB9pKSdA4wnL389cstT8L_YKQe551ksyWc3gXPXIw1mMs_IO_BKvssbSFZBp3ndbVSEMw61kdpIS4eBSqKmBzx_ZscQ9vMTED/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35bgEnMf9CT55ArY0bjZz3wVTGFL5eqDqA29AiHA7Ix0TB9pKSdA4wnL389cstT8L_YKQe551ksyWc3gXPXIw1mMs_IO_BKvssbSFZBp3ndbVSEMw61kdpIS4eBSqKmBzx_ZscQ9vMTED/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;"/></a><br/> The Lagos State chapter of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria on Monday said it had killed no fewer than 7,243 rats in eight major markets in the state under its ‘De-rat Market’ programme.<br/> <br/> This came as the state government called on the health officers to intensify safety awareness campaigns across the state.<br/> <br/> Speaking at a workshop on Lassa fever, which was organised by the ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, the health workers association’s President, Samuel Akingbehin, said the 7,243 rats were killed at the Onigongbo, Oshodi, Oke-Odo, Ikotun Idanwo, Ojuwoye and Mile 12 and Alaba Rago markets.<br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> Akingbehin said de-rating the markets was part of the association’s efforts to curb the spread of Lassa fever in the state.<br/> <br/> “The exercise is strategic in our effort toward the prevention of Lass fever. We call on other agencies in the state to de-rat markets and stop Lassa fever.”<br/> <br/> Akingbehin appealed to traders across the state to understand the efforts of the association to rid the markets of rats and rodents.<br/> <br/> He said the plan was to de-rat markets in one local government area per day, starting from 5pm.<br/> <br/> Akingbehin said, “We decided to put the exercise in the evening due to the nocturnal nature of rodents and our members had recorded successes in the markets visited till date.<br/> <br/> “It took us about three hours to cover the Oshodi Market when our members went there for the exercise. Today, Monday, we will be visiting Suru-Alaba Market in Orile with about 400 EHOs to de-rat it.”<br/> <br/> The Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami appealed to the health workers to go to the nook and cranny of the state to sensitise the residents.<br/> <br/> <br/> The PUNCH</div>

Lassa fever: Lagos officials kill 7,243 rats in markets

The Lagos State chapter of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria on Monday said it had killed no fewer than 7,243 rats i...

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53yr old woman, dies of Lassa fever in Akwa Ibom.

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMXjZ7Y0Ha0zqeKXGNyeRfOA2EIHEmOXO8AjARULwFM6GE3R5W3RbywUndLOOVK5fWmoFmsmtLEp9x74q69niUAu0rPWEN9rqMRCWGdcbRp9SP3HAzHhuITHW6iA2EsSi-LRntH3k56jO/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMXjZ7Y0Ha0zqeKXGNyeRfOA2EIHEmOXO8AjARULwFM6GE3R5W3RbywUndLOOVK5fWmoFmsmtLEp9x74q69niUAu0rPWEN9rqMRCWGdcbRp9SP3HAzHhuITHW6iA2EsSi-LRntH3k56jO/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;"/></a><br/> The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, has said that a 53-year-old woman has died of Lassa fever in the state.<br/> <br/> Ukpong who said this during the inauguration of a taskforce on the eradication of Lassa fever in Akwa Ibom in Uyo on Monday, said the state had so far recorded three suspected cases.<br/> <br/> He added that one of the suspected victims absconded while the third case happened to be a patient that was receiving treatment for HIV.</div>

53yr old woman, dies of Lassa fever in Akwa Ibom.

The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, has said that a 53-year-old woman has died of Lassa fever in the state. ...

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Lassa fever: Replicating the 2006-2008 intervention

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdluQlolpEDSWGLf_9XSVfcikLShMCXx4sVK7rbTmlDPauhADZ-vRh-UJskoMAf-4ePTmcon8bq6EaUdm5yY-ki29cW3GouQ9_vuLWnr_OxLxK4dungygLl2DssJQBDg1Bl0JJSwHp5nqV/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdluQlolpEDSWGLf_9XSVfcikLShMCXx4sVK7rbTmlDPauhADZ-vRh-UJskoMAf-4ePTmcon8bq6EaUdm5yY-ki29cW3GouQ9_vuLWnr_OxLxK4dungygLl2DssJQBDg1Bl0JJSwHp5nqV/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;"/></a><br/> <br/> Dr. Gani Enahoro is Vice President, African Veterinary Association and former President of the Nigerian Veterinary Association of Nigeria. He bares his mind on the solution to Lassa fever outbreak.<br/> <br/> <br/> <b>Lassa-fever</b><br/> “Luckily, there has been a preponderance of circulating “Facts on Lassa Fever” in the social media, since this current outbreak that has affected 94 patients and killed 43 in 10 states as at 13th January 2016, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate of 44%. This statistic and precautionary measures all trace their source to the press release by the Honourable Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole. A man I admire so much, since I had close encounters with him during Alumni reunion programmes two years ago as Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan.<br/> <br/> “This public document included the listing of symptoms to watch out for, GSM numbers to call, e-mail addresses for the internet savvy, pathogenesis and epidemiology of Lassa Fever, tracing its origin to rats of Mastomys natalensis- the hairless tail, multi-mammate rat, which is prevalent in West Africa, as the hosts or reservoirs of the Lassa fever virus. It also has an incubation period of 6-21 days with multi system failures that would eventually lead to death.<br/> <br/> “The objective of this volume of information is laudable and meant to increase awareness through public education by warning and sensitizing people, but they could sometimes also frighten the citizens about the dangers of Lassa fever. Thanks to the advent of the social media, for making information dissemination very easy, cheap and just a single click away.<br/> <br/> “However, beyond this hype and fears, there are fundamental issues and several questions that need to be addressed going forward, if we must conquer the scourge of Lassa fever, and by extension other viral haemorrhagic fevers.<br/> <br/> “There must be a change in the past strategies employed by the health authorities, that has failed to stop the recurrence of this deadly zoonotic viral haemorrhagic fever, tapping from the experience of Ebola that we have just recovered from, and which seems to be our lot in West Africa and the successful experience in taming the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza popularly called Bird Flu.<br/> <br/> “Lassa Fever has been with us since 1969 and is still regrettably being talked about with more frenzy today with a case fatality rate almost thrice the 15% that WHO considers a very bad situation. The reason could be that old and current strategies deployed have been the same and ineffective. As a nation, we must come out of the box and design a new and sincere approach to dealing with a disease that is quite endemic in our region, rather than continue with the fire brigade methods of raising alarm, daily blow-by-blow ministerial updates of deaths on television, setting up one-sided committee, begging for international donations and building professional silos around the outbreaks, as if an island exist around diseases. At best, what those steps have given us was to unfairly concentrate every effort in post infection management of patients and contact tracing of those who related with infected people, rather than a holistic multi-disciplinary approach that is more efficient, prudent and sustainable, when all hands are on the deck.<br/> <br/> “The animal-human interface that makes elimination of rats and rodents critical in the case of Lassa fever has been completely ignored or played down, when the committees are formed and when funds are deployed. No expert in that area of competence has ever been found worthy of membership of Lassa Fever Committees, even when an unwieldy number of 26-man omnibus committee of solely medical doctors was formed in 2012.<br/> <br/> “The failure of such one-sided panel beating of a very deadly situation is now steering us in the face today with the current recurrence. It sounds more logical that we should worry as much, if not more about the source of the disease and how to control it alongside the care for those already infected, in the hope that we could nip in the bud, exposing more people that could have been infected in future. This is the missing link, which could be traced to pecuniary benefits that may surround the funds that would be provided, under emergency, to deal with the disease. I hope we are all learning from Dasukigate, the infamous arms fund deal that has confirmed that blood money does not stink in some people’s pockets, no matter their status in the society.<br/> <br/> “For every student of public health, the first lesson was that no dividing lines exist between human and animal medicine, because more than sixty-five percent of infectious diseases in man are traceable to their animal origins. It then means that collaboration between these two specialties must be promoted at all opportunities for the overall interest of the general public. I must appreciate that just the one time this collaboration was tasked, Nigeria got better for it, and that was during the two major outbreaks of Bird Flu in 2006-2008 and recently last year, the vestiges of which we are still dealing with today.<br/> <br/> “The trust in the competence with which the Veterinarians handled the animal component of the disease has currently saved the public an almost equal hype that Lassa has generated. As at January 13, 2016, it was reported that poultry farms in Bayelsa, Plateau, Lagos, Kano and the FCT recorded severe mortality rates due to bird flu. With all modesty, the bio-security and bio-safety measures, introduced by the veterinarians kept the disease away from man in all the cases. It should never be forgotten that person-to-person transmission of mutated strains of HPAI virus is a possibility, with a case fatality rate (CFR) up to 60-70%. This is a more deadly situation than the worst of Lassa hemorrhagic fever outbreak known to history.<br/> <br/> “At the peak of bird flu scourge in 2006-2008, what helped most was, that early recognition of animal and human components and the engagement of effective communicators at the Federal Ministry of Information who managed the information desk, and weighed the messages that should be passed to the public through the electronic and print media. Relevant jingles and posters were all over. Why can’t we replicate this beauty of multi-disciplinary intervention when Lassa fever is concerned?<br/> <br/> “A more concerted effort is required inter-ministerial from the Federal Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Environment and Information, if we sincerely wish to deal with this scourge. The Pest Control Services section has always been domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, just like the Department of Veterinary Services, and not anywhere else. There are Veterinary institutions like the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom in Plateau State, which can boast of diagnostic facilities of a similar Bio-Safety Levels (BSL 3 or 4) that is available at Irrua, which can confirm Lassa or possibly Ebola Viruses, such that samples from patients in Taraba would not have had to be transported all the way to Irrua Specialist Hospital in Edo State for confirmation.<br/> <br/> “This benefit can only come from effective inter-disciplinary collaboration. Well, the Hon. Minister of Health has announced the formation of a 4-man Committee to deal with the current Lassa outbreak with Prof Michael Asuzu, who is President of Public Health Practitioners in Nigeria as Chairman. This is a perfect fit, as we await the other members’ identity and know if the change desired from the old ways has come.”<br/> <br/> <b>Source:</b> Vanguard</div>

Lassa fever: Replicating the 2006-2008 intervention

Dr. Gani Enahoro is Vice President, African Veterinary Association and former President of the Nigerian Veterinary Association of Nigeria....

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One Lassa Fever Patient Confirmed Dead in Lagos State

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6QFTJfAUoi0/VqM2IEjNJWI/AAAAAAAAGiA/wtV43g0m5FU/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6QFTJfAUoi0/VqM2IEjNJWI/AAAAAAAAGiA/wtV43g0m5FU/s350/%25255BUNSET%25255D.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;"/></a><br/> The Lagos State Government through the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris yesterday announced the death of one patient of the three cases of Lassa fever in the state.<br/> <br/> He said that one dead victim was expected to be buried yesterday, and that the State has recorded 14 suspected cases of Lassa Fever as at Thursday, January 21, 2016.<br/> <br/> He also added that the Ministry has shortlisted 447 contacts of the confirmed cases and 438 (98 per cent) of the contacts who are currently being monitored.</div>

One Lassa Fever Patient Confirmed Dead in Lagos State

The Lagos State Government through the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris yesterday announced the death of one patient of the three ca...

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Lassa Fever Kill 3 in Rivers, 200 Others Under Observation

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQ6MzWU5dkRoSpp4EQQOr57KaRiHvfOJVnLjYVDzINHjoG7EJ2573cqvW8kuL5r4AEXtr1Wwky5-KsNPQ-8ixOkeEon_HD-PGFh-HXO6I5BAP4WOa9tNYIAbiQBudL85e02q1Cs6bNuiZ/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQ6MzWU5dkRoSpp4EQQOr57KaRiHvfOJVnLjYVDzINHjoG7EJ2573cqvW8kuL5r4AEXtr1Wwky5-KsNPQ-8ixOkeEon_HD-PGFh-HXO6I5BAP4WOa9tNYIAbiQBudL85e02q1Cs6bNuiZ/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;"/></a><br/> <br/> <br/> Dr Theophilus Odagme, the Commissioner for Health in Rivers State has said three people have died so far from Lassa fever in the state while 200 have been placed under observation. The 200 people placed under observation are those who had contacts with the victims before they passed on. He also disclosed that the medical doctor who died of the virus after carrying out a surgery on a woman has also been buried with the approval of his family.<br/> <br/> Odagme made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Port Harcourt.</div>

Lassa Fever Kill 3 in Rivers, 200 Others Under Observation

Dr Theophilus Odagme, the Commissioner for Health in Rivers State has said three people have died so far from Lassa fever in the state wh...

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