Gom Mirian
The Mandate Secretary for FCT Health Services and Environment, Dolapo Fasawe, announced on Monday that two cases of Lassa fever have been confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), out of four suspected cases.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, Fasawe said that the FCT experienced sporadic infections of Lassa fever between November and April, making it currently amid an outbreak.
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus. Nigeria, particularly states like Edo, Ondo, and Delta, has become an endemic hotspot for the disease.
Fasawe also highlighted the establishment of the Emergency Operations Center in the FCT, aimed at achieving a coordinated response to interrupt the transmission as quickly as possible.
Nationwide, Nigeria has recorded 486 suspected cases of Lassa fever, with 134 cases confirmed and 21 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate of 15.7 per cent.
However, in the FCT, although four suspected cases were reported, only two have been confirmed, and there have been no related deaths so far.
According to Fasawe, the first confirmed case in the FCT was a 14-month-old female, adding that both confirmed cases are children who were identified as high-risk contacts of their mother.
Fasawe further explained, “Samples were collected and sent to the National Reference Lab for confirmation.
“The deceased was a confirmed case, diagnosed at the Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.
“Following her demise, the father travelled on January 9, to Bauchi to bring back the children who had accompanied their mother to Bauchi and returned to the FCT on Jan. 12.”.
