Ogun records first victim of Lassa fever

Redeemers University develops diagnostic test kit

Ogun State has recorded its first victim of Lassa fever with a 28-year old lady who was confirmed to have contracted the disease during a visit to Ebonyi state and on her return showed symptoms of the dreaded disease

The State’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye who spoke to journalists in Abeokuta yesterday disclosed that the two private hospitals where the victim was rushed to when the symptoms manifested had been shut down.

He assured people of the State not to panic over the development because the government had put all measures to check further spread.

According to him, “I want to confirm that the first Lassa fever casualty has been recorded in the state. The victim is a 28 year-old girl, an indigene of the State. She travelled to Ebonyi State on 8 January, 2016 to attend a burial ceremony and just returned”.
“She returned to the State on 15, January. Few days after her return, she started having fever. She reported at Rubi hospital, Ota on 25 January 2016.

“Her case was managed there for some days till 2nd February before she was transferred to Central Hospital, Ota. Immediately, she got to the hospital, they called to report to us because the symptom revealed the disease”, the Commissioner narrated.

The Commissioner however informed that the first 19 suspected cases reported fortnight ago have completed the incubation stage of 21 days and all of them, including the student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), who was also under surveillance had been discharged and “declared Lassa fever free.”

Meanwhile, in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly Lassa fever scourge ravaging the country, a Lassa Fever Rapid Diagnostics Test (RDT) has been developed to diagnose the scourge within 10 minutes.