Lagos records fresh death from Lassa fever

Lagos State government on Wednesday confirmed fresh death from Lassa fever, which is fast spreading across Nigeria, and has so far, claimed over 70 lives.

Meanwhile, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has directed security personnel in the state to go after cult groups and criminals anywhere they may be hiding, saying the state cannot fold its hands watching innocent citizens being hounded and maimed by cultists.

Jide Idris, Lagos State commissioner for health, who at a news conference in Ikeja, said the state had recorded 20 suspected cases of Lassa fever as of January 26, 2016, since the outbreak of the disease in the country in November, 2015.

According to Idris, 14 suspected cases tested negative, while four suspected cases were confirmed positive to the deadly Lassa fever virus. He said his ministry had line-listed 537 contacts of the confirmed cases and 534, which represents 99 percent of the contacts, are currently being monitored.

“The last confirmed case was a 27- year-old lady, who travelled to Edo State on December 24, 2015, and returned to Lagos on January 2, 2016. She became ill on January 14, 2016 and received care in one private hospital and three churches before she was referred on January 23, 2016, to Ijede General Hospital with fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and body weakness. The patient died within a few hours of admission. The case was confirmed as Lassa fever on January 26, 2016.

“The remains of the patient is being kept in the morgue in leak proof body bag. She is to be buried after due consultation with her family,” Idris said.

Steve Ayorinde, the state commissioner for information and strategy, in a statement on Wednesday, noted that any cult member or group, their sponsors and collaborators, as well as criminal gangs disturbing the peace of law abiding citizens would face the wrath of the law.

“Henceforth, they will be treated as murderers and arsonists as the case may be,” Ayorinde said.