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From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Four persons including three health workers and a patient have reportedly lost their lives from acute Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) at the Accident and Emergency Department of 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.
Brig-Gen Solomon Okoigi, in a statement, explained that the unfortunate development resulted from the management of a patient with “febrile illness” thought to have been the index patient with the disease about two weeks ago, “the patient also died from the suspected disease condition”.
The senior medical staff in the facility said the common symptoms in the affected person include fever, and nonspecific symptoms likened to malaria, saying that the illness is complicated by abnormal liver function, acute kidney failure, encephalopathy, microangiopathy, elevated D-Dimer, among others
The statement read in part; “The Accident and Emergency Department of 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, has lost three members of staff and a patient suspected to have died from acute Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, VHF.
“This followed the management of a patient with febrile illness thought to have been the index patient with the disease 10 days ago. The patient also died from the suspected disease condition.”
“The Accident and Emergency has been closed for a thorough disinfection process and samples have been taken from suspected contacts and the deceased and sent to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, laboratory in Kano for analysis.
“The Kaduna State epidemiologists have been invited to help in unraveling the etiology of the febrile illness with a view to curtailing the spread of the disease.
“In addition to strict disease Infection Prevention and Control, IPC, measures that have been directed, Ribavirin injection (an antiviral agent) has also been commenced on other suspected cases and those identified on contact tracing.
“The Accident and Emergency, A&E, Department of 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, has lost three members of staff and a patient suspected to have died from acute Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, VHF.”
