5 new cases of Lassa Fever confirmed in Ondo State

5 people have been hospitalised in Ondo State for
being infected with the dreaded Lassa Fever.
Officials at the Ondo State Ministry of Health
confirmed the development, saying five persons
have so far been diagnosed with the disease in
the state.
Three weeks ago, there were reports that a
student of Achievers University, Owo, was
infected with the disease and hospitalised at the
Federal Medical Centre in Owo, Ondo state. This
led parents and students of the institution to
demand that the management of the school take
measures to ensure the safety of the students.
This led to a three-weeks mid-semester break
being declared.
The Permanent Secretary of the state’s Ministry of
Health, Taye Oni, told journalists in Akure that
there were new cases of the virus in addition to
the student of the Achievers University earlier
diagnosed. He said two cases were recorded in
Owo Local Government Area and two in Akoko
North-West Local Government Area.
“Government is doing its best to contain the
recorded cases by isolating the patients to
prevent further spread,” Mr. Oni said. “We also
embarked on aggressive contact tracing,
sensitisation of the people not just in Owo and
Ose but across the state on preventing and
precautionary measures.”
In a statement on Wednesday, the Vice Chancellor
of Achievers University, Tunji Ibiyemi, said the
student who was infected with the disease did not
get it from within the campus, but outside,
Premium Times reports.
He blamed inflammatory media reports for the
anxiety that trailed the incident, saying the
student had since been undergoing treatment and
would soon be discharged from the hospital.
“The Management of Achievers University, Owo
takes the overall well-being of its staff and
students seriously. Nothing is, therefore, spared
to ensure this. Apart from the University health
centre, which is empowered to cater for the
health of students and staff promptly, the
University has a memorandum of understanding
with the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, to
which staff and students are referred when the
need arises,” the Mr. Ibiyemi explained.
“For a fact, a student of the University reported at
the University health centre for treatment.
However, she was not responding to treatment,
and as usual, had to be referred to the FMC,
where she was diagnosed of having Lassa fever
symptoms. She has since stabilised, and will be
discharged anytime soon. Investigation carried
out by the University revealed that the affected
student must have contracted the disease from
outside the university premises as none of her
roommates and friends, who have been screened,
developed symptoms of the ailment. So, what we
have in the university is an isolated case of Lassa
fever, not an outbreak as being rumoured.”