By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja
Four persons have been confirmed dead in kogi state in nine cases recorded when Lassa fever hit the state about a month ago,the State Ministry of Health has said.
The State Epidemiologist, Dr Austin Ojotule, let this out of bag in a statement in Lokoja on Sunday.
Ojotule further revealed that the latest statistics on Lassa fever outbreak in the state, as at February. 8, 2020, was 31 suspected cases.
He said out of the number, one was probable, 17 negative and nine confirmed, while five had pending laboratory results.
The State Epidemiologist also disclosed that Case of Fatality Rate (CFR) had reached 44.4 per cent.
According to the health expert, the nine confirmed cases are from five Local Government Areas: Ibaji with two, Okene:two, Idah:three, Okehi:one, and Igalam:one.
He assured the public that contact tracing and follow up were ongoing, adding that 177 contacts had been linelisted in a conscious effort by the state government to contain the spread of the virus.
Duaglobalnews recalls that Lassa fever was discovered in Lassa village in Borno state in 1969, following the death of two foreign nationals in the area.
