Lassa Fever Kills 15, Infects 102 In Ondo

Fifteen people died of Lassa fever between January and February in Ondo state, southwest Nigeria, while 102 persons are infected, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has said.

“As at Thursday Feb. 21, 102 people have been tested positive to Lassa fever this year,” chairman of the medical association in Ondo, Dr Wale Oke, told NAN in Akure.

“82 people in Jan. and 20 people so far in February apart from 15 deaths recorded in January as a result of the fever but no death has been recorded so far in Feb.

“Most people that died either reported late or were already subjected to alternative treatment and doing self medication before they eventually came to hospital.

“Their kidneys and livers had been affected as a result of the delay.”

Oke, who is also a staff member at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, urged residents of the state to report early to the medical centre if they experienced upsurge of temperature in their bodies.

“We have Contact Tracing Mechanism whereby we can place on surveillance for 21 days for those that may have contact with infected persons,” he added.

“We continue to monitor their temperature if it is above 37.8 we direct them for quick treatment.”