Ebonyi state government has confirmed the death
of two persons in recent Lassa fever outbreak in
the state this year.
Commissioner for Health, Daniel Umezuruike Gabe
the confirmation in Abakaliki on Saturday.
According to him 10 other cases have been
recorded in the state five of which have been
treated and discharged.
The other five are still receiving treatment at the
Virology Centre built by the State government at
the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.
They are said to be in stable condition.
The Commissioner said the two deaths were as a
result of late presentation.
“One (of the dead) came from Enugu State. The
deaths were due to late presentation, in fact, by
the time the child came, he was already very bad,
bleeding from different orifices which is the
terminal stage. But the medical workers tried all
they could but could not salvage the patient. The
second one actually died before presentationâ€, he
said.
“The confirmed cases are 12. Five have been
treated and discharged while five are on
admission now doing very well.â€
Mr Umezuruike said the Virology Centre, which is
the only such centre in the entire Southeast, has
all the facilities to treat such diseases.
“The truth is that our management in the virology
centre is almost like 100 percent success because
we have the dialysis machines; we have all the
facilities to test immediately and confirm whether
the person has Lassa fever or notâ€
He, however, admonished residents and people of
the region to always bring the suspected infected
patients to the hospital on time so as to be able
to save their lives
“And once you confirm and commence treatment,
the prognosis is always very good. Lassa fever is
preventable and curableâ€, he said.
Source: thenationonlineng.net/ebonyi-records-two-deaths-lassa-fever/