The Government of Enugu State has confirmed the death of one person from Lassa fever in one of its health facilities.  

The Permanent Secretary, in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Ifeanyi Agujiobi, made this confirmation on Monday while speaking to News Agency of Nigeria in Enugu.

He stated that the health care providers at the health facility did all they could to manage the patient but lost him.

Agujiobi revealed that the ministry’s epidemiology officials have immediately begun contact-tracing of those people that came in contact with the patient before his death.

He said that just one person whose case was confirmed through a Lassa test died in the state.

He stressed that no other suspected or confirmed case of Lassa fever currently existed in the state.

“We have already done massive deployment of epidemiology experts and other healthcare professionals to start contact-tracing of the doctors, nurses and other health workers in the hospital that received the patient.”

“The ministry will take contact-tracing to the family members and friends as well as even food vendors patronized by the deceased,” the permanent secretary said.

Agujiobi further added that the state would also commence a massive sensitization against the disease in local media with the use of native languages.

NAN