A single mother has died in Asaba, Delta State following an outbreak of Lassa Fever virus, Delta Commissioner for Health, Dr Morsi Ononye has said.
The Nation reports that the new death brings to two persons affected by the virus.
A corps member simply identified as Yinka was diagnosed with Lassa Fever and has since been transferred to Specialist Hospital in Irrua, Edo State.
On Wednesday, Ononye confirmed the death of the single mother at the Office of the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Asaba, the State Capital.
He allayed fears of residents over Lassa fever outbreak and assured of its ability to control the spread in the State.
According to him the single mother was brought to FMC, Asaba on January 11 and died the following day.
He said: “A robust mechanism is already in place to sensitize the general public on how the diseases can be contained to guide against spreading further.”
He said private and public health facilities in the State are being carried along in its efforts to check the disease from going out of control.
Ononye said that as part of measures to strengthen advocacy, his Ministry is synergising with the Information Ministry with a view to having a holistic sensitisation outreach across the length and breadth of the State.
He added the government has built and furnished a 10-bed Isolation Unit at the Federal Medical Centre with more collaboration with the Federal Government and its agencies to tackle the disease.
On the entry points into the State, Dr. Ononye said that health authorities located at the various entry points into the State and country at large such as the land, sea and air ports/borders are on red alert and working in tandem with the Delta State Disease Notification and Surveillances Officers (DNSOs) to identify and track the disease.
Ononye stated that surveillance and contact tracing is on-going particularly on those who came in contact with the two report cases of the disease as the officers of the Federal medical Centre, Asaba and DNSOs are synergising and sharing reports.
He urged residents to keep high personal hygiene and clean environments.
