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The Ebonyi State Ministry of Health has disclosed that Lassa Fever killed 10 persons in the state from January 4 to February 16, 2024.<\/p>\n

The Disease Surveillance Notification Officer of the ministry, Mr Sampson Orogwu, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Abakaliki.<\/p>\n

Orogwu stated that 25 persons were infected, including two healthcare workers.<\/p>\n

He added that \u201c16 out of the 25 infected persons are males, while nine are females.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dead include a pregnant woman and two children.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe affected local government areas include: Onicha, Ikwo, Ezza North, Ebonyi, Izzi, Ohaukwu and Abakaliki with Hausa quarters and Nkaliki areas in Abakaliki recording the highest number of cases.\u201d<\/p>\n

He, therefore, urged residents to report suspected cases to the ministry as treatment is free.<\/p>\n

The State Epidemiologist, Dr Ogbonna Nwambeke, also in the statement, said the state government had been collaborating with relevant partners to check the spread of the disease.<\/p>\n

He said, \u201cWe call for the provision of logistics to increase surveillance and community engagement against risk factors.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are also advised to stop bush burning, avoid eating rats and not to touch any surface touched by an infected person.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also advise people to maintain a high level of personal and environmental hygiene such as covering their food and utensils properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nwambeke appreciated the state government\u2019s provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to health workers at the National Obstetrics Fistula Centre to secure their lives and to save others.<\/p>\n

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses.<\/p>\n

Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.<\/p>\n

It is common in West Africa, with most people getting mild symptoms, like fever and headache.<\/p>\n

Lassa fever claims 10 lives in Ebonyi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Ebonyi State Ministry of Health has disclosed that Lassa Fever killed 10 persons in the state from January 4…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[651,1639,8464,15],"tags":[654,5456,580,5454,180],"class_list":["post-17777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ebonyi","category-health","category-lassa-fever","category-news","tag-ebonyi","tag-fever","tag-health","tag-lassa","tag-news"],"yoast_head":"\n