By Correspondent in Lokoja.
The Special Adviser to the Kogi Governor, Yahaha Bello, on health matters, Mr Abu Jibril Okikiri says Ibaji Local Governnent Area of the state has recorded 3 cases of Lassa fever.
The governor’s aide,who made the disclosure on Tuesday in Lokoja while reacting to the outbreak of lassa fever in the area, said the victims had been receiving treatment at Irua
Specialist teaching Hospital in Edo State.
He noted that the state epidemiological unit, in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health,had taken a proactive step to prevent escalation of the disease in the local government.
“As at today,record of lassa fever cases for Ibaji LGA, that are currently on care at Iruah Specialist Teaching Hospital, are just three. However, it is an outbreak because it is a notifiable disease” he said.
In sharp contrast to the figure given by the special adviser,a community leader in Ibaji,Hon. David Inah Ogwu, who is a former Chairman, Ibaji Local Government Council Area put the figure at about 22.
Ogwu, a one time member, Kogi State House of Assembly,who also spoke on the outbreak of the disease in the area, described Lassa fever as real, adding that It occurred in Aya and neighbouring communities of the local government.
He explained further that the first incident involved four persons who fell ill and died mysteriously without being diagnosed of the disease or the cause of death identified.
According to Ogwu, thereafter, other victims who manifested similar symptoms were taken to the Iruah Specialist Teaching Hospital for treatment.
He further disclosed that at the hospital, nine persons were diagnosed and found to have Lassa Fever out of 22 victims taken to the hospital.
“So, seven of the nine are there right now being treated for Lassa Fever, though their condition is not too critical.
” It is confirmed by the medical facility in Iruah, that what they have diagnosed and are treating is Lassa fever,” he told Journalists in a telephone interview from Ibaji, ” the community leader said.
On the present case, Ogwu said the people of the local government must be “lucky and happy’ that the rainy season had set it, saying that cases of Lassa fever were rampant during dry season.
According to him, the disease is very common within the rice producing areas, adding that rats usually come to feed on the rice and chaff farmers left on the ground.
“In the process, rats urinate on the harvested rice, cassava and other food materials on the farms. So, the transmission of Lassa fever is easy in such circumstance.
“The Aya, Machagba and other communities in the local government area are prone to infestation of rats,” he added.
He noted with delight that a lot of sensitisation activities had commenced in the area, on the need for people to maintain good hygiene and burn the bushes around to prevent rats from accessing their food as well as ensuring adequate protection of food stuff.
According to health experts,Lassa fever is an animal-borne, or zoonotic, acute viral illness which is endemic in parts of West Africa including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria. It was discovered in 1964 in Lassa village in north-east region of Nigeria by foreign missionaries.
They add the disease is an acute, viral disease carried by a type of rat that is common in West Africa. According to them Lassa fever can be life-threatening and it is a hemorrhagic virus, capable of causimg bleeding and affects the liver, kidneys, or spleen and can be fatal.
The experts also explain l that the disease registers between 100,000 and 300,000 in West Africa with approximately 5,000 death yearly.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
