Four Lassa fever cases confirmed in Delta

Delta state government has confirmed four Lassa fever cases in the state. 

The state’s commissioner of health, Joseph Onojaeme said the affected local government areas are Okpe, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, and Ndokwa East Council areas.

Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) have been set up across the state to monitor the situation and ensure residents are aware of what is going on.

Onojaeme said; 

“In week 12, we have four confirmed cases so far recorded with a fatality rate of 50% though the general fatality rate for Lassa fever is 1 – 15% so we are doing everything humanly possible to ensure that we curtail the transmission from patient to health workers and from patients to relatives.”

The commissioner who revealed that the state government is doing a lot of advocacy, especially to health workers, and sensitisation of residents to have a high index of suspicion when they see those cases, added that they are working closely with Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State and have been able to achieve less than 24 hours of getting test results on Lassa fever as against what was commonly obtainable, which was within the range of 72 hours.