Lassa Fever: Health Ministry Confirms Outbreak In Abia Community - Liberty TV/Radio - News - Voice For All! Vision For Alll!
Publisher (F.BA)
January 8, 2020
The Abia state Ministry of Health has confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever in Olokoro community, Umuahia-South Local Government Area of the State.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary,Egbulefu Eze, told newsmen in Umuahia that a 28-year-old man who died in thecommunity was diagnosed of Lassa fever.
Eze allayed the fears of possible epidemicin the State, saying the ministry is taking measures to contain the spread ofthe disease. He said the victim died on January 1st at the Federal Medical Centre,Umuahia, where he was admitted.
The Permanent Secretary noted that theState government had always contained previous outbreaks and was already on topof the situation.
He explained that in the course ofthe investigation, all those that came in close contact with the deceased hadbeen identified and placed on surveillance.
The Medical Director of Federal MedicalCentre, Umuahia,   Azubuike Onyebuchi,while speaking on the disease, said that the deceased was initially suspectedto be suffering from acute appendicitis, adding that further examination on theman however, revealed the case of Lassa fever.