Kogi State has recorded a fresh outbreak of Lassa fever as a medical doctor working with the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja has been confirmed to be a victim of the disease.
Briefing newsmen on Saturday in Lokoja, the Medical Director of the Centre, Dr Olatunde Alabi said that the male doctor was diagnosed of the disease on Jan. 19.
He said that the victim’s blood sample was sent to the Federal Medical Centre, Irrua, Edo State , saying that the blood sample tested positive to laboratory tests.
Alabi said that the 30 year old doctor was in the early hours of Saturday evacuated to Irrua for further treatment.
According to the Medical Director, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the state Ministry of Health and other stakeholders have been informed of the development and are already assisting the Centre in various ways.
He said that all the people that came in contact with the sick doctor, both at home and work had been placed under surveillance immediately.
Alabi said that the centre in partnership with relevant stakeholders had commenced contact tracing to trace the source of the disease and ascertain if there is any other victim within the community where the doctor resides.
He said that the Centre will also embark on health education for its staff to prevent human to human transmission of the disease.
The Medical Director called for early report of cases of fever from members of the public.
He also appealed to residents to take urgent steps to eliminate rats in their houses and surroundings, saying that foodstuffs like gari, rice, beans, maize should be kept in air tight containers to prevent contamination by rats.
It would be recalled that the centre in 2017 handled three cases of Lassa fever, two of the victims died while one survived.
