Benue State Government has commenced investigation into the death of four persons, including a five year old boy as well as five others currently on admission with similar condition that killed the four others from Obi local government area of the state.
The state commissioner for Health, Sunday Ogbabo, disclosed this in Makurdi after he took a team of health personnel to the LGA to access the situation.
The commissioner who described as false the reports of a strange disease said the ministry is carrying out test on the five persons admitted at the state University Teaching Hospital for Lassa Fever and other hemorroidic fever.
Also, he said water sample analysis is ongoing to determine environmental impact on the health of the people.
READ ALSO: Anxiety In Benue As Govt Confirms One Case Of Lassa Fever
He said there are suspicions that the stream which is their only source of water, used for drinking and fishing, may have been contaminated with chemicals.
At the Benue state University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where the five persons were admitted and isolated, the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee, Professor Olusayo Alao, said three out of the five did not present any suspected symptoms apart from stomach pains and so were discharged while two other females, 20 and 26 years old, had high fever, symptoms suspected to be Lassa fever adding that their blood samples have been taken for proper diagnosis.
Meanwhile, the health commissioner, Dr. Ogbabo, informed that the state has only one confirmed case of Lassa Fever so far, hence the ministry has put in place proactive measures to tackle any outbreak or contain any eventual diseases that occur anywhere in the state.
