A medical doctor, who is currently serving as a house officer at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, has tested positive to Lassa fever.
The doctor, whose identity is yet to be revealed, according to the management of the hospital, is currently undergoing treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Irua, Edo State.
The acting Head of Clinical Services, FMC Jalingo, Dr Ahmed Jatau, who disclosed this to journalists Tuesday, further revealed that the hospital has lost four patients to the deadly disease.
Jatau noted that 10 samples were sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for screening, out of which six tested positive to the disease, while four out of the six died before the arrival of the results.
According to him, “We have sent 10 samples to NCDC; six of which were tested positive to Lassa fever. And out of the six confirmed cases, four died before their results came in.
“Out of the remaining two, one has been discharged, while the other who are our own staff and have been transferred to Iruwa specialist hospital for further treatment because we don’t have a dialysis unit here. The information from the specialist hospital is that he is doing well after the first dialysis session.”
As a preventive measure, Jatau stated that the entire hospital premises have been fumigated particularly the house officers’ quarters against rodents and other infectious animals.
The outbreak of Lassa fever has become an annual occurrence in Taraba State with the attendant loss of lives despite efforts put in place by government to nip the scourge in the bud.
