Lassa fever cases hit 28 in Edo
Edo State has recorded four more cases of Lassa fever, bringing the total number of confirmed positive cases to 28 in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria, said the four new cases were confirmed in Esan West, Etsako West, and Esan North East local government areas.
He said, “We have continued to witness a steady rise in the number of confirmed cases of Lassa fever with four new cases recently confirmed in three local councils in the state.
“The local councils includes Esan West with two new cases; Etsako West, one, and Esan North East, one. With the four new cases, we now have a total of 28 confirmed cases throughout the state, 25 of which are currently on admission. Fortunately, we have not identified any fatalities caused by the illness.
“The 25 persons, including 20 adults and 5 pediatrics are currently receiving medical care at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital and are responding to treatment.”
Giving the break down of the number of cases in the affected local government, Prof. Akoria said, Etsako West recorded 12 case, Esan North East seven, Esan West five, Esan South East two, Etsako East one and Owan East one.
He emphasized that the state government is committed to preserving the health and safety of its citizens and urged citizens to follow all health regulations in order to stop the disease’s spread throughout the state.
“While the government is putting various steps in place to stop the spread of the disease in the state, we implore everyone to support the government’s efforts by following safety and health regulations in curbing the spread of Lassa fever.
“Wash your hands frequently with soap and water; avoid contact with rat urine or feces; avoid consuming contaminated food or water and seek medical attention immediately if you experience any symptoms of Lassa fever, such as fever, headache, muscle pain, and weakness,” he said.
