Lassa fever: Osun Govt Places 55 Persons under Surveillance

By Rafiu Agboola.

The Government of Osun State has said the state has placed 55 persons under surveillance following the death of resident doctor at Maxilofacial Surgery Department at the Obafemi Awolowo Uninversity Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-ife.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Temitope Oladele, stated this while fielding questions from Journalists in his office in Osogbo.

Oladele who said that the doctor was suspected to have died of Lassa fever but confirmatory test could not be carried out because of the death of the person with the index case.

He added that the priminary reports of the test carried out on the blood sample of the doctor “came back as compatible with Lassa virus.

The PS who said that the confirmatory test could not be done following the death of the doctor explained that the state had created emergency centres to ensure that the disease was contained.

According to him, the state had gone ahead to prepare to c contain the virus and no other case had been found anywhere in the state apart from this index case which he said was imported from a neigbouring state.

He said “We have traced 55 persons who he had contact with before his death and we have placed them under surveillance.

As at today none of them has shown any symptom of Lassa fever but we are watching over them to ensure that the disease does not spread.

We have dedicated lines of those in the emergency centres, the numbers are 08032394921, 08062473160, 08035620234 and 08034175852.

While enumerating preventive measures, Oladele said there is need for all and sundry to maintain good community hygine to prevent rats from entering homes, storing of food stuff and grain in rodent proof containers