2:09 PM
Anonymous
Three persons including a medical doctor were, on Wednesday confirmed dead after suffering Lassa Fever in Makurdi, Benue State. North Central Nigeria.
This was confirmed by the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Orduen Abunku, who also disclosed that one person with symptoms suspected to be those of Lassa Fever and several others have been quarantined at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi.
Speaking in Makurdi, the commissioner said, “Two patients were brought into BSUTH from a private hospital in Makurdi with symptoms that bear close similarities with those of Lassa fever. I want to confirm that we lost two of the patients and the doctor that was presumably treating them.”
Meanwhile, he said samples of blood obtained from the patients have been transferred to the Special Federal Government Lassa Fever laboratory at the Federal Medical Centre, Irua in Edo state to ascertain if the current strain is like those that break out in the past or a mutant strain.
“All medical doctors and other health personnel that have had any form of contact with the patients are being given prophylactic medications to guard against any further mishap,” the commissioner said.
He confirmed that the health officials are being administered Ribavirin, Virazole and other medications used in the treatment of Lassa fever as preventive measure.
At BSUTH, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Orkuga Malu, confirmed that the medical doctor might have died of the disease, which he contracted from one of the patients in the private hospital he worked. Information from the hospital also confirmed that the three patients were on treatment in the private hospital before they were later rushed to Benue State Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, including the medical doctor.
The medical doctor and two others were said to have died within 48 hours while the fourth patient is said to be receiving treatment in an isolated ward at the teaching hospital.
The commissioner who also confirmed this said all patients that were in the ward as the time the patients were admitted are being given prophylactic treatments at the hospital.
“Among the three who died was a medical doctor who we gathered might have been treating the patients of the sickness, the patients and the medical doctor died within 48 hours”, he said.
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