Lassa fever kills one in Kaduna – Commissioner

Kaduna state’s Commissioner of Health, Dr Amina Muhammad Baloni, on Monday said one person has died due to Lassa fever in the state.

She said the victim was the same individual who was under treatment, but whose case was confirmed on 22 January, 2020.

The commissioner, who disclosed this at‎ a news briefing held at the ministry, said “the state government has everything under control because for now, there is no active cas‎e of Lassa fever in the state.”

Dr Baloni said the victim have since being buried by the state government.

She noted that out of the remaining 11 cases reported, seven turned out to be negative, as the ministry awaits the results of the outstanding four.

“We lost the only person confirmed and he has since being buried by the state government. On the other eleven cases, 7 turned out negative; so we are waiting for the result of the remaining four cases. We are monitoring the contacts of the person that died but we have everything under control,” she said.

She also denied the report about the closing of hospitals in the state because of Lassa outbreak as being circulated on social media.

The commissioner said the ministry only ordered Barau Dikko hospital to reduce the volume of people going into hospital if they are not sick, adding that no hospital in the state was shutdown due to Lassa fever‎.

She urged residents to pay attention to their personal hygiene, saying their houses must be free from rats.