SOURCE: http://www.bbcnigeria.info/kogi-confirms-one-case-lassa-fever/

The Kogi State Government yesterday confirmed that it has recorded one new case of Lassa fever involving a male patient in Angwuan Kura area of Lokoja, the state capital.


The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna Audu, said the patient was first brought to the Federal Medical Center Lokoja with symptoms suggesting hemorrhagic fever.

He said the state epidemiologists immediately responded by sending the patient’s blood sample to the designated laboratory at Federal Specialist Hospital Irrua, Edo State for analysis, which came back positive for Lassa fever.

Saka said that the patient had been moved to Federal Specialist Hospital Irrua, Edo State for optimal care, and that the state’s Rapid Response Team was summoned and provisions were made for source/contact tracing and prophylactic treatment for medical personnel who had contact with the patient before the transfer.

“All these have been concluded. It is important to note that it was discovered that the patient had traveled to Ilorin, Kwara State where he had stayed for two weeks. He only developed symptoms of haemorrhagic fever two days after his return. We are therefore uncertain whether he contracted the virus there or here in Lokoja,” he said, assuring that all efforts were being made to prevent further spread of the disease.