SATURDAY, 16 JANUARY 2016. Lassa Fever: Three dead, 200 underobservation – Rivers Commissioner

The
Commissioner for Health in Rivers, Dr
Theophilus Odagme, has confirmed
that three persons have died, while
more than 200 others are currently
under observation, following the
outbreak of Lassa Fever in the
state.Odagme made the disclosure in
an interview with the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on
Saturday.He said that up to 50 people
who had contacts with the first
reported two cases could be out of
observation because they had not
shown symptoms of the disease.The
commissioner said that the medical
doctor, who died after contracting the
disease, had been buried after
consultations with the family.He said
the doctor died at a hospital outside
Port Harcourt and that contacts he had
hours before his death were among
those under observation.According to
the commissioner, government has set
up a special centre to manage new
cases of the disease, noting that no new
case has been reported.Odagme also
said that the State Government was
working with the World Health
Organisation (WHO) and the Federal
Ministry of Health to tackle the
disease.“We have been working with
WHO and the Federal Ministry of
Health. They are with us in ensuring
that their supports come on board.They
are with us.He advised people with
symptoms of the disease to report to
the nearest health centre for test and
treatment