Lassa Fever Kills Two As Edo Records 132 Total Cases

The State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akoria Obehi, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in Benin City on Wednesday said Edo recorded seven more confirmed cases of Lassa fever.

According to her, the total number of confirmed cases in the state stands at 132.

“We have continued to witness a steady rise in the number of confirmed cases and deaths from Lassa fever with seven new cases confirmed in three local councils in the state. We now have a total of 132 confirmed cases with 16 deaths from the disease,” the commissioner said.

“With the new data, Edo now has a case fatality rate of 12 percent, which reinforces the need for residents to be cautious and comply with laid down preventive guidelines to stay healthy and protected from this common enemy of mankind.”

She stated that most of the deaths recorded in the state are persons who were unwell and failed to report to a proper hospital for care until they developed complications.

Obehi urged residents of the state to “take responsibility to work with the ministry of health, observe preventive measures and report early symptoms suspected to be malaria or any other sicknesses that present like malaria so as to receive proper care.”

The Local Government Areas most affected by the virus include Etsako West, Esan West, and Esan North East with 51, 34, and 27 confirmed cases respectively.

Others are Etsako East, 4; Esan Central, 3; Ovia North East, 3; Esan South East, 2; Owan East, 2; Akoko Edo, 2; Oredo, 2 and Etsako Central, 2.

Reassuring the government’s commitment to contain the disease and protect residents, she noted that about 40 persons, including 28 adults and 14 children who were confirmed of the disease were still on admission at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH).

The Commissioner added that they are currently receiving medical care and are responding to treatment.

(TNT)

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