AN outbreak of the deadly Lasa fever has claimed the lives of 13 people, including a medical doctor and a nurse in Jalingo, Taraba, a week after it was first diagnosed.
The deaths were largely recorded at the Federal Medical Centre Jalingo, a situation which had forced officials of the centre to close down the Accident and Emergency Unit.
The outbreak of the disease had also led to panic among patients on admission at the centre who had deserted it in droves, leaving the wards virtually empty.
The state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Mustapha Hamman-Gabdo confirmed the development to newsmen in Jalingo on Tuesday.
He said that a female medical doctor named Aisha Isa died on Sunday at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital while Amina Abdullahi, a nurse died in Jalingo on Monday, adding that the deceased were staff of the centre.
He said that some patients admitted into the centre for different ailments were diagnosed with the disease.
The commissioner, however, assured that the state government was making efforts to prevent further spread of the disease.
Also in a chat with journalists, the state Epidemiologist, Dr. Innocent Vakai said the fever started from Mayo-Ranewo village in Ardo-Kola local government area of the state.
He said the disease spread after a patient from the village was brought to the centre for treatment.
Vakai, explained that the disease was caused by rats' excreta and advised the people to keep their environment clean and ensure that their food was not contaminated by rats.
Our correspondent however reports that other public hospitals in the town were attending to patients.
The deaths were largely recorded at the Federal Medical Centre Jalingo, a situation which had forced officials of the centre to close down the Accident and Emergency Unit.
The outbreak of the disease had also led to panic among patients on admission at the centre who had deserted it in droves, leaving the wards virtually empty.
The state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Mustapha Hamman-Gabdo confirmed the development to newsmen in Jalingo on Tuesday.
He said that a female medical doctor named Aisha Isa died on Sunday at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital while Amina Abdullahi, a nurse died in Jalingo on Monday, adding that the deceased were staff of the centre.
He said that some patients admitted into the centre for different ailments were diagnosed with the disease.
The commissioner, however, assured that the state government was making efforts to prevent further spread of the disease.
Also in a chat with journalists, the state Epidemiologist, Dr. Innocent Vakai said the fever started from Mayo-Ranewo village in Ardo-Kola local government area of the state.
He said the disease spread after a patient from the village was brought to the centre for treatment.
Vakai, explained that the disease was caused by rats' excreta and advised the people to keep their environment clean and ensure that their food was not contaminated by rats.
Our correspondent however reports that other public hospitals in the town were attending to patients.
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