No Symptoms of Lassa Fever in Enugu – Govt

Agency Report/

The Enugu State Government today said none of the people under surveillance of the Lassa fever had symptoms of the disease.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Fintan Echochin, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

“The people who had primary and secondary contact with the patient that died of Lassa fever are all under surveillance, we got them through effective contact tracing and active search.

“None of them has come down with symptoms of Lassa fever talk more of testing positive, we are happy that the infection was contained and we have only lost one life.

“Those that had primary contact with the patient, we decided that they should have treatment, we have the drugs free of charge in Enugu state and we have started treating them immediately, in fact nearly all of them have completed the treatment,” he said.

He explained that the state has established a public health unit and emergency operation centre as well as rapid response team with support from the National Centre for Disease Control to contain the disease.

The commissioner said that the state government was willing to train people who wish to know more on environmental health issues, adding that the state health ministry has environmental health unit with well trained staff.

Echochin expressed happiness that the disease was contained without further spread.