Following the report of Lassa fever outbreak in Lagos State , Akin Abayomi, Commisioner for Health has said that about 63 people who had contacts with the Lassa fever patient are being monitored.
The commissioner made this known while addressing the press briefing conference in Alausa on Wednesday.
Abayomi said that the Victim was a student who came in from Ebonyi State , but is currently in isolation at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) receiving treatment.
According to the commissioner, the victim fell ill and that the health facilities tried to treat him for common ailment such as malaria and others, saying that since he was still unwell, government decided to test for Lassa Fever and it was positive.
“government had begun contact tracing and that 63 contacts had so far been established and were being monitored to see if they would develop Lassa Fever symptom,” he said.
He therefore appeals to residents of the state to maintain proper hygiene and ensured that the eliminate rats from their environment.
“the prevention and control of the disease remained a shared responsibility of all citizens through observance of the highest possible standards of personal and community hygiene as well as environmental sanitation.”
He urged residents to store house-hold refuse in sanitary refuse bags or dust bins with tight-fitting covers to avoid infestation by rats and rodents; dispose refuse properly at designated dump sites and not into the drainage system and store food items in rodent-proof containers. He added that it is by so doing that a habitable and conducive environment, and a disease-free State can be achieved.
“Members of the public are further advised to avoid contact with rats, to always cover their food and water properly, cook all their food thoroughly, as well as block all holes in the septic tanks and holes through which rats can enter the house and clear rat hideouts within the premises,” he said.
