Man,51,dies of Lassa fever in Lagos, Nigeria.

A 51-year-old man has died of Lassa fever at the Mainland Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, confirmed that the patient who was initially admitted at Divine Medical Centre, Ikoyi, may have contacted the disease after attending a wedding ceremony in Edo State in December.

According to the commissioner, the patient died on January 18 before the result of the laboratory test that confirmed him positive of Lassa fever was received at the Infectious Diseases hospital in Yaba.

Idris noted that another 36 -year -old lady,  a native of Kogi State,  who had tested positive to the disease  was currently on admission at the Mainland hospital while the health ministry had begun tracing 438 contacts related to the three index cases  that were recorded in the state.
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He stated, “Lagos State has three confirmed cases out of the 14 suspected cases of Lassa fever. Two of them are responding well to treatment while one of them died.

Eight samples tested negative while we are awaiting results for the remaining three suspected cases.

“The Ministry has listed 447 contacts of the confirmed cases and 438 of the contacts are currently being monitored.

We have made available drugs and other materials at our designated facilities; and isolation centres have been prepared to manage suspected and confirmed cases.”

The commissioner  called on residents and health workers to  adhere to infection control measures in their environment and hospitals  to prevent an outbreak in the state.