A nursing student has been confirmed dead while 65 others are being monitored following the outbreak of Lassa fever in Anambra State.
Speaking to newsmen in Awka, Director of Public Health in the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Emmanuel Okafor, said the deceased (name withheld) was a student in a private nursing school in Nkpor, Idemili North.
Okafor disclosed that the lady was admitted at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, on June 11 but immediately transferred to the General Hospital, Irua, in Edo State, for diagnosis where she died on June 17.
He said:“She was initially admitted at Amaku in Awka before she was transferred to Irua and was placed on admission there.
“She was bleeding from the gums, nostril and vagina and was confirmed Lassa Fever victim in Irua.
“The moment it was confirmed that she had Lassa fever, we started contacts tracing.
“As of now, we have about 65 we are following up, two of them have developed fever and their samples have been taken to Irua.
“We are still tracking others and we have advised them on what to do to ensure they do not transfer it to their loved ones,” he said.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Okafor urged residents to keep their surroundings clean and keep their foods free from rats.
