LASSA FEVER INCREASES: Quarantine List Rises To 40 In Delta

Asaba – Determined to halt the spread of Lassa fever in Delta State, another eight persons who had contact with the medical doctor who died of the disease in Anambra State have been quarantined in Delta State.

It brings the figure to 40 persons quarantined by the state government.

Patrick Ukah, the state Commissioner for Information, told journalists in Asaba on Tuesday that the figure shot up to 40 as everybody who had contact with the deceased doctor’s private hospital in Asaba where he resided had been placed under surveillance.

Ukah, however, added that the late physician’s wife was among those placed under watch as the government does not want to take chances.

He said, “As at now, 40 persons are under watch. It was 32 yesterday (Monday) but now eight more people have been included, bringing the figure of those under watch to 40.”

Ukah said that the Delta State Ministry of Health was in touch with its counterpart in neighbouring Anambra State to eradicate the scourge.

The information commissioner said that the doctor who died last Thursday would be buried in Anambra State this weekend, according to the specifications of the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

Nicholas Azinge, Commissioner for Health, had disclosed on Monday that those put on surveillance included 11 persons from the immediate family of the deceased, 18 persons at the private hospital where the patient was first admitted and three other persons.

Besides, Azinge said that the government had shut and fumigated both his private hospital at Umuaji and the hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac, all in Asaba.

The medical practitioner, a resident of Asaba whose identity is yet to be revealed, hails from Anambra State and died on Thursday, August 18, 2016.

He was first admitted at a private hospital in the state and was later referred to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH),  Nnewi, Anambra State.

Azinge said that the late physician wife’s blood sample was taken and tested and it came out negative at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua, Edo State.

The health commissioner remarked that two Disease Surveillance Officers in Oshimili South and Oshimili North Local Councils are actively involved as part of the state response team and had been monitoring the temperature of those under surveillance, and this would be done for a period of 21 days.