Residents of Ondo State have been advised to maintain a healthy environment and avoid rats from getting in contact with their food, so as to prevent the spread of Lassa fever in the state.
The state's Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, stated this on Thursday at a sensitisation meeting on the management and control of Lassa fever held in Owo town of Ondo State, southwest Nigeria.
The meeting comes up after a case of the viral disease was confirmed at the Federal Medical Centre in the town, while two other suspected cases are still being investigated.
The Commissioner had earlier stopped on the highway between Akure ?and Owo to educate some residents on the need to stop spreading food substances such as cassava and yam flour near bushes, in order to prevent rats from contaminating the food.
He ?disclosed that the state government had made funds available to procure the equipment for testing the disease, as the victims pass through a lot of suffering which worsens their situation when they are being transferred to Edo State for treatment.
Speaking to reporters, a public health physician, Dr. Olufemi Ayodeji, explained the cause of the disease and how it is transmitted.
He said that the symptoms of Lassa fever include body pains, vomiting and the regular fever just like malaria, saying it could only be diagnosed through medical tests on the victims.
The Vice Chairman of Owo Local Government, Mr Olusola Owadasa and the traditional ruler? of one of the towns in the area, Oba Omotunde Adako, voiced their support for the sensitisation programme.
They promised to help disseminate relevant information and also educate their people about the disease.
Ondo Govt. Sensitises Residents On Lassa Fever
Residents of Ondo State have been advised to maintain a healthy environment and avoid rats from getting in contact with their food, so as to prevent the spread of Lassa fever in the state.
The state's Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, stated this on Thursday at a sensitisation meeting on the management and control of Lassa fever held in Owo town of Ondo State, southwest Nigeria.
The meeting comes up after a case of the viral disease was confirmed at the Federal Medical Centre in the town, while two other suspected cases are still being investigated.
The Commissioner had earlier stopped on the highway between Akure ?and Owo to educate some residents on the need to stop spreading food substances such as cassava and yam flour near bushes, in order to prevent rats from contaminating the food.
He ?disclosed that the state government had made funds available to procure the equipment for testing the disease, as the victims pass through a lot of suffering which worsens their situation when they are being transferred to Edo State for treatment.
Speaking to reporters, a public health physician, Dr. Olufemi Ayodeji, explained the cause of the disease and how it is transmitted.
He said that the symptoms of Lassa fever include body pains, vomiting and the regular fever just like malaria, saying it could only be diagnosed through medical tests on the victims.
The Vice Chairman of Owo Local Government, Mr Olusola Owadasa and the traditional ruler? of one of the towns in the area, Oba Omotunde Adako, voiced their support for the sensitisation programme.
They promised to help disseminate relevant information and also educate their people about the disease.
Plateau State Records Four New Cases Of Lassa Fever
Plateau State in Nigeria's north-central region has reported four fresh cases of Lassa fever in the state.
The state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Kuden Kamshak, told reporters on Tuesday that the cases were being investigated, with the samples taken to the Diagnostic Centre at Irrua in Edo State for analysis.
Dr. Kamshak explained that altogether, seven cases had been reported in the state while only two have tested positive to the disease.
The Commissioner added that the state government had deployed health workers across the state to sensitise citizens on symptoms and preventive measures against the disease.
These fresh cases came days after Plateau State and three other states were added to the list of states with fresh cases of Lassa fever.
On September 2, five more cases of Lassa fever were reported in four states in Nigeria, increasing chances that the disease could spread further.
Confirming the new cases, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said that two cases were reported from Plateau State, one from Rivers, and one each from Bauchi and Gombe. They all occurred between August 24 to September 2.
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