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Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Enugu State government has confirmed the death of a 24-year-old pregnant Lassa fever patient at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu.
This is the second Lassa fever related death in Enugu State. The first was at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, where a 75-year-old woman lost her life as a result of the virus.
While confirming the incident at a press briefing in Enugu on Friday, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Health, Mr Ifeanyi Agujiobi, said the woman was referred to UNTH by an unnamed private hospital in Emene where she had gone for treatment.
He said the hospital on noticing symptoms of Lassa fever transferred her to UNTH where she was admitted on Thursday and later died the same day.
He revealed that the ministry has through the Enugu State epidemiology team commenced contact tracing of all persons who may have come in contact with the victim even as measures were already in place to ensure that her remains was buried in line with acceptable safety standards.
On his part, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Chidi Aroh, encouraged residents to ensure proper hygiene, cautioning them against consumption of rats, as it was a major host of the virus.
He said that the government has set up a multi-sectoral rapid response team, comprising the ministry of health, the hospital management board and other stakeholders for prompt response to Lassa fever cases and has equally ordered an immediate fumigation of all refuse dumps in the state as a preventive measure.
“From the point when we received a report of the outbreak of Lassa fever in Enugu, the governor has made available all the resources, both technical and material to the emergency response team and hospitals to ensure that the state is save” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director, UNTH, Dr Obinna Onodugo said that the hospital had already begun contact tracing of all persons who came in contact with the patient and had also procured some other materials needed to keep staff safe.
He assured them that there was medication for all those who were exposed directly or remotely to the patient. He further advised them to, “have a high index of suspicion, while observing universal safety precautions”.
