Lassa fever hits Lagos, kills two, 100 placed under surveillance

Lassa fever has killed two patients at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in the Idi-Araba area of the state.

Chris  Bode, chief medical director of the hospital, confirmed this on Tuesday, saying 100 workers were being monitored.

The hospital said the patients died after spending a few days in admission.

WHAT IS LASSA FEVER?

• Lassa fever, also known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF), is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus. Many of those infected by the virus do not develop symptoms. When symptoms occur they typically include fever, weakness, headaches, vomiting, and muscle pains.

Lassa fever is a significant cause of severe illness and death.

“Each of these two patients presented very late and died in spite of efforts to salvage them,” LUTH said in a statement.

“The first was a 32-year old pregnant lady with bleeding disorder who died after a stillbirth. A post-mortem examination had been conducted before her Lassa Fever status was eventually suspected and confirmed.

“No less than 100 different hospital workers exposed to this index case are currently being monitored.”

A resident doctor from the department of anatomic and molecular pathology, who took part in the autopsy, is said to have contracted the disease and is currently on admission at the isolation ward of LUTH.

Bode advised all LUTH workers to maintain a heightened level of alert in the wake of the new outbreak and observe universal precautions in handling all suspected cases of the hemorrhagic fever.