Lassa fever kills one, 5 critically ill in Plateau state

Plateau state ministry of health has confirmed that one person has died while five others are critically ill and are receiving intensive medical treatment as a result of Lassa fever outbreak in Plateau state in Nigeria.

According to the Deputy Director, Epidemiology in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Raymond Juryit, there are suspected cases of Lassa fever in the state and four infected persons are presently being treated at the Bingham Teaching Hospital, Jos, while another person is at a hospital in Jingri, Bassa Local Government Area of the state.

He said the deceased died at the Bingham Teaching Hospital, adding that the state government was taking necessary steps to contain the outbreak.

"We have already communicated with the ministry of health to assist us with drugs for the treatment. We call on residents to maintain clean environments and safeguard food items from rats which are known to be carriers of the disease," he said.

He also confirmed fresh cholera outbreaks in Rikkos and Nasarawa areas of Jos-North Local Government Area.

"On Monday, we received another report of an outbreak of cholera in Panyam, Mangu Local Government Area of the state and our medical team was deployed to the community. But we discovered that what they had there was not a case of cholera but food contamination. A send-forth party for a bride was held at the community last weekend and a cow was slaughtered. Shortly after eating the meat, some guest started complaining of vomiting, stooling and abdominal pains. We conducted tests on them and discovered that it was not cholera," he said.

He added that 22 people were hospitalized as a result of food contamination.