LASSA FEVER: HOW TO PREVENT ITS SPREAD. DR MICHAEL NWOKO
LASSA FEVER:
HOW TO PREVENT ITS SPREAD.
In the past couple of days, an incident of Lassa fever was reported at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Asaba.
This prompted the State Ministry of Health to put all health personnel and facilities in the State on red alert to prevent it's spread. So far there is no course for panic.
Further to assure Deltans and residents of Delta State that the situation is under control, the State commissioners for Health and information, through a joint press conference, gave a detailed report of the incident and practical measures taken by the State government to contain the spread of the disease.
In the joint press briefing, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye stated that the government was aware of the incident of the disease and had strengthened its disease surveillance machinery and taken proactive steps to control epidemics.
Some of the necessary measures taken by the State government, includes the handover of the isolation ward built and equipped by the State government to the management of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, to solve the problems and inconveniences of transferring victims elsewhere, for quarantine, to prevent the larger population from having contact with victims, to halt spread of the disease.
The State government also emphasized the need for improved hygiene amongst residents in the State as part of measures to contain the spread of disease.
While, the government is very much on top of the incident, taking practical measures to prevent it's spread, we as individuals, must take necessary steps to ensure that we are not infected by the Lassa Hemorrhagic Fever (LHF).
These steps includes:
Prompt report of any feverish conditions to medical personnel, for quick medical attention.
Keeping our environment clean all the time, to make it impossible for the vector, rats to breed;
Making the practice of good hygiene, a habit, by washing our hands before and after taking our meals;
By avoiding contact with patients whose nature of illnesses are uncertain and
By not floundering with corpses whose cause of death is not certain, especially during burials.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LASSA FEVER:
It is quite important to know the signs and symptoms presented by Lassa fever suspects for early detection and prompt reporting to the nearest health facility.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC);For the majority of Lassa Fever cases(Approximately 80%),Mild symptoms include slight fever, general malaise, weakness and headache. In 20% of cases, disease may progress to a more serious symptoms including hemorrhaging (in gums, eyes or nose), respiratory distress, repeated vomiting, facial swelling, pain in the chest, back, abdomen and shock, pulmonary, cardiac, and neurological problems.
Lassa fever is an acute, viral disease carried by a type of rat. It is spread through the faeces and urine of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis).
It is most common in the west Africa states of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria.
Lassa fever causes around 5,000 deaths per year. It is a very lethal disease.
Together, we can eradicate Lassa Fever in the State.
Dr. Michael Nwoko,
SSA to Delta State Governor (Health Monitoring)
Government House
Asaba.
HOW TO PREVENT ITS SPREAD.
In the past couple of days, an incident of Lassa fever was reported at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Asaba.
This prompted the State Ministry of Health to put all health personnel and facilities in the State on red alert to prevent it's spread. So far there is no course for panic.
Further to assure Deltans and residents of Delta State that the situation is under control, the State commissioners for Health and information, through a joint press conference, gave a detailed report of the incident and practical measures taken by the State government to contain the spread of the disease.
In the joint press briefing, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye stated that the government was aware of the incident of the disease and had strengthened its disease surveillance machinery and taken proactive steps to control epidemics.
Some of the necessary measures taken by the State government, includes the handover of the isolation ward built and equipped by the State government to the management of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, to solve the problems and inconveniences of transferring victims elsewhere, for quarantine, to prevent the larger population from having contact with victims, to halt spread of the disease.
The State government also emphasized the need for improved hygiene amongst residents in the State as part of measures to contain the spread of disease.
While, the government is very much on top of the incident, taking practical measures to prevent it's spread, we as individuals, must take necessary steps to ensure that we are not infected by the Lassa Hemorrhagic Fever (LHF).
These steps includes:
Prompt report of any feverish conditions to medical personnel, for quick medical attention.
Keeping our environment clean all the time, to make it impossible for the vector, rats to breed;
Making the practice of good hygiene, a habit, by washing our hands before and after taking our meals;
By avoiding contact with patients whose nature of illnesses are uncertain and
By not floundering with corpses whose cause of death is not certain, especially during burials.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LASSA FEVER:
It is quite important to know the signs and symptoms presented by Lassa fever suspects for early detection and prompt reporting to the nearest health facility.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC);For the majority of Lassa Fever cases(Approximately 80%),Mild symptoms include slight fever, general malaise, weakness and headache. In 20% of cases, disease may progress to a more serious symptoms including hemorrhaging (in gums, eyes or nose), respiratory distress, repeated vomiting, facial swelling, pain in the chest, back, abdomen and shock, pulmonary, cardiac, and neurological problems.
Lassa fever is an acute, viral disease carried by a type of rat. It is spread through the faeces and urine of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis).
It is most common in the west Africa states of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria.
Lassa fever causes around 5,000 deaths per year. It is a very lethal disease.
Together, we can eradicate Lassa Fever in the State.
Dr. Michael Nwoko,
SSA to Delta State Governor (Health Monitoring)
Government House
Asaba.
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