Lassa Fever Outbreak in Ondo: 12 Dead, 112 Confirmed Cases
The Ondo State Government has confirmed 12 deaths due to Lassa fever, with 112 confirmed cases and 353 reported infections across the state.
The Acting Statistician-General of Ondo State, Olusola Ajayi, disclosed this on Tuesday in Akure while addressing workers of the Ondo State Waste Management Authority. He emphasized the need for urgent collaboration with health stakeholders to maintain a cleaner environment and curb the disease's spread.
“We are all in this together, and we must act fast. As of today, Ondo State has recorded 353 cases of Lassa fever, with 112 confirmed cases and 12 deaths. If we want to take action, the time is now,” Ajayi stated.
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Adeniran Ikuomola, confirmed that nearly 400 suspected cases had been recorded since the outbreak began.
Speaking in Akure at the unveiling of a new Lassa fever diagnostic center, Ikuomola revealed that the Federal Government, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) had donated the facility to improve detection and treatment efforts.
“We have inspected the equipment provided by the Federal Ministry of Health, through NCDC and facilitated by IHVN. With this, we expect to significantly improve case detection and management,” he said.
He further assured that the state government was working tirelessly to ensure the laboratory becomes fully functional while strengthening partnerships with relevant agencies to reduce fatalities.
Comments