LASSA FEVER in Ebonyi State

Ebonyi State government yesterday confirmed the death of a 10-year-old boy (name withheld) killed by Lassa fever. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike, stated this during a chat with journalists in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital. He noted that the boy died after he was discharged from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. Umezuruike described the incident as unfortunate, adding that the deceased was a day student of one of the primary schools in the state, from Igbeagu, Izzi Local Government Area. The commissioner said the deceased’s parents were based in Abuja, adding that the report before them did not show the deceased traveled to meet the parents recently. He added that the boy, on being rushed immediately to the hospital on becoming sick, responded to treatment and was subsequently discharged by the hospital. “Unfortunately, he died the same day he was discharged. His case was surprising because the hospital thought he was all right after being treated. But before he was discharged, we had already taken his sample which came out positive,'' he said. Umezuruike also confirmed that the case was the second Lassa fever case recorded in the state. “The first was a student of Ebonyi State University and now the 10-year-old,'' he added. He pointed out that his ministry has embarked on serious surveillance and contact tracing of close associates of the last victim to enable them contain spread of the disease in the state.