The Lassa virus causing fever can be transmitted through contact with an infected rodent or contact with the bodily secretions of an infected person.
According to the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) headed by Toyin Saraki, the wife of the Senate President, this also includes mother-to-child transmission and consumption of infected food items.
Panic and fear of the unknown has also gripped medical practitioners who come in contact with the disease everyday as it was reported that a doctor at the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, old GRA, Port Harcourt lost his life to the disease.
However, the Lagos state government also urged its residents to remain calm as everything will be done to curtail the spread of the virus in the state.
Although Nigerians have been warned to stay away from rats which are the primary cause of lassa fever, the Medical and Health Workers Union have have also warned that people stay clear of garri.
See some reactions of Nigerians below:
Amara Nwankpa@bubusn
#LassaFever has spread more than ebola, killed more than ebola, and has a higher fatality rate than ebola in Nigeria.
7:52 AM - 11 Jan 2016
60 60 Retweets 2 2 likes
Voice of PH City@TWEETEST_BOI
@Gidi_Traffic Where can one get a fairly used cat? #LassaFever is real
8:30 AM - 9 Jan 2016
6 6 Retweets likes
Pray for north please, LASSA FEVER outbreak is now in 10 states and we are still fighting bokoharam #prayfornortheast #nigeria #lassafever
Ibrahim Hanif@IA_Haneef
With the poorly managed hospitals and labs, I really hope the Taraba government acts fast. #LassaFever
12:03 AM - 9 Jan 2016
Retweets likes
Yakubu Phil@Phil_yaks
if Nigerians could kill #ebola from increasing. #lassafever shouldn't be a big deal.
10:50 PM - 8 Jan 2016
Retweets likes
Uduak Bassey@uduakbassey8
#LassaFever. Another menace in Nigeria. I'm gonna start a Rat combat.
10:18 PM - 8 Jan 2016
Retweets likes
Magarya #MNCH@magarya
While we're still coping with the grief of #Lassafever, another virus is spreading. Bird flu/HN5 is now being reported 1/2 #MaternalMonday
11:56 AM - 18 Jan 2016
Retweets likes
Demola Olarewaju@DemolaRewaju
The Min. for Health is yet to convene a meeting of all Comms for Health to present a common front to #LassaFever.
Like we did with Ebola.
9:12 PM - 15 Jan 2016
34 34 Retweets 6 6 likes
Kingsley Felix@Iamkingsleyf
@EbolaAlert #Lassafever: Prevention is in Your Hands http://www.healthable.org/lassa-fever-prevention-is-in-your-hands/ …
9:07 AM - 9 Jan 2016
Healthable
Lassa fever: Prevention is in Your Hands
By Kingsley Felix @Iamkingsleyf
Lassa fever is a disease from the infectious agent, Lassa virus. This fever is endemic in certain country such as Sierra Leone, Liberia, and also Nigeria.
View on web
Retweets likes
Nigeria Health Watch@nighealthwatch
If disease surveillance functioned in Nigeria, why were we taken unawares by #LassaFever yet again? @HealthNG
10:35 PM - 11 Jan 2016
22 22 Retweets 10 10 likes
Naij.com recalls that over 45 death have been recorded in 10 states since the emergence of Lassa fever.
Also, Nigeria’s ministry of health has confirmed 35 deaths out of 76 victims which has so far spread to 10 states and traced to Lassa fever usually caused by rodents.
Recently, the Benue state government has banned the eating, selling of rat meat, one of its staple foods till the eradication of Lassa fever.
No comments:
Post a Comment