A recent outbreak of Lassa fever have killed one medical doctor and three others in Anambra state. The information was revealed during the Anambra State Ministry of Health-organized one-day Lassa fever training workshop.
According to one of the participants, Dr Jane Ezeonu, the medical doctor died on Tuesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi (NAUTH) after being referred from a hospital in Asaba, Delta State.
While advising the people on precautionary measures to take to mitigate against the disease, Dr Ezeonu said they should protect their food and related items from rats, she added that the people of the state should stop consuming raw garri.
She continued by saying general hygiene is key in preventing Lassa fever as she stated that nobody acquires immunity after suffering from Lassa fever, as believed in some quarters.
In his remark, the director of Public Health in the state, Dr Emmanuel Okafor, who confirmed the reports of the three other deaths said aim of the workshop was to train professionals who would go to the grassroots to educate the people on the prevention of the disease.
“We are having the workshop for prevention, not that we have an epidemic in the state
“In Anambra we don’t know the number of cases of the disease but we have three confirmed deaths.” he said.
Dr Okafor however, called on health workers in the state to exercise high standard in handling Lassa fever cases as he explained that state government had put proactive measures to handle the scourge.
