Panic hit Ogun State As Lassa Fever Victim Dies

 

Panic hit Ogun state on Saturday, February 13, following the death of a 28-year-old lady confirmed to be a victim of the first case of lassa fever in the state.

The deceased, simply identified as Eze was said to have been admitted into the isolation unit of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu and had spent nine days before she gave up the ghost.

Confirming the sad development during a press conference in Abeokuta on Sunday evening, the Ogun State Commissioner of Health, Babatunde Ipaye, disclosed that the deceased had travelled back to the State from a burial ceremony in Ebonyi State on the 15th of January after she was admitted into two private hospitals in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government where the lassa fever virus was detected in her system.

The government however did its best to save the victim before she finally passed on.

Ipaye said: “Ogun state government under the leadership of Sen Ibikunle Amosun announces regrettably the death of the first case of Lassa fever in Ogun state today.
“We have contacted the family and gotten necessary consents and approvals to bury the remains according to WHO guidelines and the national protocol.

“Eze was admitted into the isolation unit of OSUTH, which was specifically equipped, strafed and funded by the state government to manage confirmed cases of Lassa in the course of this national epidermic.

” Upon confirmation at a private hospitals in Ota, Eze was received the best medical attentions from varying numbers of medical specialists, well trained nurses, volunteer medical officers and several well kitted support staff. The patient has received a nine day course of ribavirine, potent antibiotics, appropriate blood transfusions and necessary psychosocial support.

“We were only waiting to celebrate the completion of medication today and take a blood sample to confirm cure, when unexpected complication set in yesterday, Saturday 13, February, 2016.”

Meanwhile, another victim has been identified in the state and she too is undergoing monitoring presently at the Olabisi Onabanjo Teaching Hospital (OSUTH), Sagamu,Ogun state.

“Like the first case, she also travelled into Abeokuta from Kogi State. As a responsible government we have taken full responsibility for her care and she has been on medication with ribavirin for three days now.

“We have been in contact with her family members and presently have mounted active surveillance on the 60 primary contacts of this patient,” Ipaye said.