Plateau State government has confirmed the death of three more persons from Lassa Fever.
This is following the death of Dr. Salome Oboyi, a young female resident doctor at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) in Jos, who contracted the disease from a patient under her care.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Baamlong, who announced the three fresh casualties in an interview with Channels Television in Jos on Wednesday, assured that surveillance and public health interventions were ongoing across affected communities and health facilities.
Baamlong stated that the three victims succumbed to the disease after laboratory tests conducted affirmed that they had contracted the disease.
According to the commissioner, emergency response measures have been activated to contain the spread of the viral disease and protect residents.
He further noted that the state government had intensified surveillance and response activities following laboratory confirmation of eight other cases.
“Plateau State has recorded confirmed cases of Lassa fever. So far, we have eight laboratory-confirmed cases and three deaths,” the Health Commissioner stated.
“The state government has activated all necessary response mechanisms to contain the outbreak,” Baamlong said, adding that contact tracing, active surveillance, and public health interventions were ongoing across affected communities and health facilities.
Baamlong also disclosed that the state had received vaccines from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, to further strengthen response efforts.
“We have intensified contact tracing and surveillance across the state. Vaccines have been provided, and we are expecting more from the NCDC. Residents should remain calm but vigilant,” the commissioner said.
He urged residents to adopt preventive measures, including maintaining proper hygiene, keeping food and household items away from rodents, and seeking early medical attention when symptoms such as persistent fever, headache, or vomiting occur.