Lassa fever: 55 persons under surveillance healthy, says Delta

The Delta State Government has declared 55 persons put under surveillance following the death of a doctor who was admitted in a private hospital in Asaba, the state capital, and thereafter died in Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State.

 The Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, has said that the Lassa fever outbreak  has been brought under control.

 Azinge, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Asaba, revealed that none of the 55 persons placed under surveillance for having direct and indirect contact with the deceased showed any sign or symptom of Lassa fever.

 He noted that samples from the five persons including the laboratory technician who took the deceased’s blood sample were taken to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, for diagnosis and analysis. He said the results showed that they had no symptom of the disease.

Our correspondent learnt that the wife of the deceased and his seven children were all doing well, saying that none of them had the symptom. He added that the hospital where the diseased was treated before he died had already been disinfected.

Azinge added that the state Ministry of Health was currently collaborating with the Ministries of Information, Education, Environment and relevant stakeholders to step up actions and activities that would ensure thorough monitoring and prevention of the disease.

He added that awareness and sensitization campaigns were already stepped up through jingles on radio and television stations, as well as educating market women on prevention outbreak of the disease.

 Azinge expressed satisfaction while appreciating the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for his quick intervention in releasing funds to contend with the disease, he commended the Federal Government’s response team comprising officers of the Nigerian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme and the National Centre for Disease Control, led by Dr. Ihenkwezu Chikwe, for their support and technical assistance in combating the outbreak.