The Plateau State Government has confirmed a fresh outbreak of suspected Lassa Fever in the State.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cletus Shurkuk made this known in Jos, Plateau State capital.
He said Plateau State has recorded three cases of Lassa Fever with two fatalities and one currently undergoing treatment.
Dr. Shurkuk said the two cases of the disease were discovered in Kanam.
Lassa Fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus.
It is transmitted to human through exposed food and household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected mastomy rats.
Its symptoms include headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, abdominal pain among others.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cletus Shurkuk explained that one of the patients died in Shendam, while the other at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, ATBUTH, where the survivor is currently receiving treatment.
He also said the Plateau State Government in collaboration with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, on receiving reports of the outbreak swiftly mobilized a team to the affected communities for on the spot assessment and to educate people on the disease.
The Commissioner stated that all contacts traced tested negative, emphasizing there was no cause for alarm and added that health workers have been trained to respond to such incidents.
Dr. Shurkuk lamented that most people go late to heath facilities and urged people to immediately visit proper health facilities when they feel unwell or notice any symptoms.
He advised people to imbibe good environmental and personal hygiene to prevent any outbreak of the disease.
-9News Nigeria.
