Two hospitals shut as Ogun records Lassa fever

A 28-year-old woman has tested positive to Lassa fever in Ogun State.

The unidentified woman, who just returned from Ebonyi State, has been taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.

The first two hospitals where the patient was hospitalised have been shut by the government.

The Commissioner for Health, Babatunde Ipaye, broke the news at a briefing yesterday at the Oke – Mosan Governor’s Office, Abeokuta, the state capital.

According to Ipaye, 60 primary contacts from the hospitals, where the woman was earlier admitted, have been placed on surveillance for the 21 days incubation period.

Ipaye said: “I want to confirm that the first Lassa fever casualty has been recorded in the state.

“The case is a 28-year-old woman, an indigene of the state.

“She travelled to Ebonyi State on January 8 to attend a funeral.

“She returned to the state on January 15. Few days later, she developed a fever. She reported at Rubi Hospital, Ota on January 25.

“Her case was managed there for some days till February 2 when she was transferred to Central Hospital, Ota.

“Immediately, she was admitted, the hospital called us to report that her symptoms matched the disease.

“We took her blood sample and sent to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba.

“The first result came in around 5:10pm yesterday and the second result came in around 8pm. I spoke to the medical director and he confirmed it to me and immediately, we started treatment.

“We contacted the OOUTH team and she has been moved to the isolation unit and is being aggressively managed.

“The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, sent 10 ribavirine anti viral drug to begin treatment.

“We have ordered the closure of the two hospitals, where the patient was first admitted. We will decontaminate them before reopening.”

The commissioner said the first 19 cases earlier reported had completed the incubation period with all of them declared Lassa fever-free.

“All case providers have been sensitised and trained on how to identify a victim. Lassa protocol have been printed in Yoruba, English and Egun,” he said.