The Government of Kwara State has revealed that Lassa fever has claimed the life of one person in the State.

The State Commissioner for health, Dr Atolagbe Alege said that the alert became necessary, considering the outcome of the results of the samples sent to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASU) for verification, in which one tested positive.

Despite this development, Alege has said that there is no cause for alarm as the Government is doing everything it can to keep the deadly disease from spreading further. He also said that the Government had procured the necessary medication to prevent the disease from spreading.

Meanwhile, in Lagos State, a new case of the disease was identified last Thursday at LUTH while 65 others are still under watch. The Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Prof Chris Bode, said that the patient had already commenced treatment and is expected to recover fully soon.

Prof Bode said that the patient’s family contacts were also being closely monitored. He disclosed that three doctors who closely attended to one of the patients who were diagnosed of the disease last week, later tested positive too and were admitted. However, he said that these doctors have subsequently been certified fit and discharged after confirming that they no longer harbour the disease.

In view of these recent developments, we advise everyone in these areas to take extra caution – observe proper hygiene, and report cases of illnesses to the proper authorities.