Lassa fever: Kaduna confirms five deaths

She stated that an initial six samples were collected to confirm the outbreak, followed by another six samples from contacts, which were sent to Bayero University Kano for analysis, “with a 24-28 hour turnaround time for the result.”

She indicated that the index case was a 26-year-old youth corps member who took ill on Feb. 9, presented at the 44 Army Reference Hospital, but died on Feb. 20.

“Symptoms presented included fever, headache, convulsion, and bleeding.

“Thereafter, a total of 32 suspected cases were line-listed and samples collected. Six cases were confirmed positive, with five deaths and a male-female ratio of 1:1.

“The result also showed five were negative, while 21 results are being awaited.”

According to the report, 99 contacts have so far been line-listed and are being followed up, as 19 others also developed some form of symptoms, and their samples were collected. The commissioner said that the state government had so far taken some measures to combat the outbreak of the disease.

She listed the deployment of state and local government areas’ Rapid Response Teams and the activation of the Incident Management System at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Mando, Kaduna.

Other measures are active case search, contact tracing, follow-up, risk communication activity, and media management, as well as the supply of drugs and consumables to the 44 Army Reference Hospital and the IDH, Mando.

Source: Jordan 105fm News Bulletin

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