No fewer than 14 residents of Taraba State that have been confirmed dead following resurgence of cases of lassa fever in the State in the last three months.
Kuni Joseph, Head of Clinical Services at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, disclosed the alarming figure on Wednesday, noting that six of the deaths occurred in just one week.
Kunini said “between October 24, 2024, and now, FMC Jalingo had recorded 84 suspected cases of lassa fever, 33 of which were confirmed positive, while nine patients had been successfully treated and discharged, even as six remained hospitalised.”
Read also: Lassa fever: NCDC advocates hygiene as Bauchi, others record more infections
“This is the first time we are recording such a significant number of cases in Taraba State,” Dr. Joseph remarked, highlighting the severity of the situation”, he added.
While calling on communities to remain vigilant and co-operative with health workers to prevent further infections, Joseph assured the public that FMC Jalingo, was fully equipped with the necessary facilities for managing Lassa fever cases, eliminating the need for referrals.
BusinessDay reports that efforts to address the outbreak have been intensified in the State with joint meetings held by the FMC, Jalingo, the Taraba State Ministry of Health, and officials from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The discussions focus on mapping out strategies to curb the spread of the disease as the outbreak underscores the need for sustained public health efforts to combating the deadly disease.
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