No fewer than 25 children have been confirmed dead following an outbreak of the Febrile Rash Illnesses (FRI) in Otodo-Gbame community in Ikate, Lekki. At a news conference in Lagos today February 19th, the Lagos state commissioner for Health, Jide Idris, said though the source of the disease is still unknown, 34 cases of sick children with FRI is currently being treated while the graves of 20 children have been identified by their parents.
“The graves of 20 children who died from the FRI since the day of onset of signs and symptoms in the first case on January 6 were identified by their parents. Also, 34 cases have been line listed so far with 17 males and 17 females; 17 dead patients have been identified with nine males and eight females, all are within the age range of eight and 72 months. The source of the infection is still under investigation and until we know the required source, we cannot say for sure, what is causing it.”he saidHe disclosed that the first case of the disease was reported in January 2016 this year in a community predominantly occupied by the Eguns. He said after contracting the ailment, the affected children developed rashes, which was similar to the symptoms of measles, and they died two to three days after. Idris said that a team of epidemiologists from the state ministry of health are yet to come up with the report on the source of the strange infection, but added that the signs and symptoms of the illness suggested Febrile Rash. “Blood samples and throat swabs from the patients and water samples from the community have been taken to the Virology Reference Laboratory”he said
He appealed to members of the public to maintain a clean environment as the government battles to stop the spread of the disease.