Barely 24 hours after the Benue State Government confirmed one case of lassa fever in the state, residents has expressed fear that the disease might spread.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Prof. Terlumun Swende had told newsmen on Tuesday that symptoms of the dreaded fever was seen in a woman from Okpoga, Okpokwu Local Government area of the state.
Swende through the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Olusayo Alao said the patient, a 40 year old woman, was immediately quarantined while investigation was ongoing to ascertain whether she was suffering from Lassa fever or not.
He said samples of her blood was taken for laboratory investigation and at the end of the medical investigation, it was discovered that she was actually suffering from lassa fever.
“We have properly investigated a 40 year old woman from Okpoga who presented symptoms of lassa fever. We took her samples for test and at the end of the investigation, it came out, confirming that she has lassa fever.”
The CMD who noted that the woman is the only confirmed case of lassa fever in the state for now, dispelled rumours that some persons had died of the dreaded fever in the state saying there is no death arising from lassa fever in the last two months.
He said the patient was already been administered antibiotics and that she’s on the recovery path.
He also listed generator to the quarantined patients’ block, water as well as anti viral drugs for patients and protective equipment for staff as some urgent needs of the hospital.
Speaking to our correspondent in Makurdi, a resident, Mr. Moses Iorhen called on called on government to swing into action immediately and ensure that this one case is properly treated to prevent it from spreading.
Mr. Iorhen who called on government to also provide all necessary drugs and equipment need for rhe treatment at the hospital also said relatives of the patient should be checked to ensure they have not contacted it yet.
He lamented the poor handling of food items by individuals saying “All these food our people spread at the road side and gather it to eat or sell at the end of the day is not healthy.
” Anything could have crossed it in the day or night; snakes, rats, goats, sheep, anything at all, even humans. So people shoud be very careful with what they eat and how they preserve their food.
“Most people are living with rats in the house, they must strive hard to eliminate them to protect their food stuffs and prevent themselves from getting the disease. Our people should stop eating “Iyonguu”, rat. It is not healthy,” he said.
Miss Doosuur Atser and John Aondona also expressed concerns and called on government to swing into action before the disease begins to spread.
