Lassa Fever Epidemic Spread In Ondo State

Six persons have been confirmed dead and 27 others under watch as the Lassa fever epidemic spread in Ondo State, Vanguard reports.

Also, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Center, FMC, Asaba, Delta State, Dr Victor Osiatuma has disclosed that a female adult, brought in from Anambra State last Sunday, has died of the fever.

Osiatuma, who disclosed this yesterday while receiving personal protective items donated by the Delta State government to the FMC to effectively curtail the Lassa fever outbreak in the state, said the female victim died Monday, a day after she was brought in.

The affected council areas in Ondo, where 26 persons are under watch, include Owo, Akoko south-west, Akure North and Akure south.


To prevent the spread, the state government has directed that any occurrence of the viral disease should “henceforth be brought to the notice of health officials at the council areas across the state.”

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro gave the directive at a meeting with Primary Health Care, PHC, Coordinators in the 18 council areas of the state.

Adegbenro pointed out that it has become imperative that “burial for the body of any sudden death must henceforth be supervised by medical experts to prevent the possible spread of the disease, which had recorded 27 cases and six deaths.