The Benue State Government has said confirmed the death 13 persons from Lassa fever outbreak in nine local government areas of the state.
The government said this was despite the efforts being made to stem the tide.
It would be recalled that at the weekend nine people died following the outbreak of Lassa fever in parts of the state.
However, four more deaths have been recorded in the past two days, bringing the total to 13.
The state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Yanmar Ortese, who disclosed this on Tuesday in Makurdi, adding that there was the need for public awareness as early detection of cases.
Ortese said the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Nigeria has the highest number of reported Lassa Fever cases and deaths globally and that in the past few years, there had been several large outbreaks of the disease in Nigeria, with thousands of cases reported.
He said, “The Benue State’s situation report of the current outbreak from 1% in November, 2023 to 2nd March, 2024 (Epidemiology week 9), shows a total of 725 suspected cases, 55 confirmed cases with 13 deaths, 2 probable cases and a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 23.6%. The nine LGAs affected are Makurdi, Guma, Gwer West, Gwer East, Okpokwu, Obi, Ogbadibo, Otukpo, and Ukum.
“These figures are not just worrisome but it calls for collective action to stop the spread of the disease in the state. In epidemiological week 6, we also had the unfortunate incidence of detecting 4 infected persons in one of the IDP camps in the state. This population are highly vulnerable due to the overcrowding in congregate setting with poor hygiene.
“Fortunately for the state, the disease outbreak response team intervened promptly. The confirmed cases were treated and their contacts were monitored for symptoms. They were asymptomatic and exited follow-up on 1% March, 2024.
“It is also pertinent to note that this is the highest number of positive cases in the last 4 years. This has put pressure on the treatment centre in Benue State University as the cases passing through it have doubled. Cumulatively, from onset of the outbreak, BSUTH treatment centre has managed 90 cases (both suspected and confirmed).”
Ortese said the symptoms of Lassa fever t include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe cases, internal bleeding, leading to death.
He advised the public to be hygienic, by regularly washing hand with soap and water, avoid eating food contaminated with urine or feces from infected rats, among others.
He told healthcare workers to make a high index of suspicion whenever they see any patient presenting the signs of fever and to always observe infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.
The commissioner said the Benue State Ministry of Health has activated State multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre for Lassa Fever (LF-EOC) following a risk assessment that placed the state at a very high risk of increased Lassa Fever transmission within and beyond its borders.
Ortese said the LFEOC activation was to ensure a state multi-sectoral coordination and response across affected LGAs to interrupt disease transmission, reduce the impact of the disease by reducing suffering and death, and other socioeconomic complications of the disease.