Ikorodu health officials placed on alert over corpse of Lassa fever victim

The Lagos state epidemiology unit has put out a notice to all heads of health departments in Ikorodu local government area over the corpse of a victim released from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

LUTH management had reportedly released the corpse to the family before realising that the victim died from hemorrhagic fever.

The unit has directed health officials to list all contacts with the body from the hospital to a yet-to-be known address at Imota, Ikorodu.

The family had collected the corpse for burial, but the unit directed the officials to prevent the body from being buried in Imota.

This is in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

“All HODs in lkorodu LGA and the 5 LCDAs are hereby alerted to swing into immediate action to line list all contacts with the body from the hospital to their destination,” read a notice issued to the health officials.

“They should also prevent the body from being buried at home. The address would be posted as soon as it is confirmed. Meanwhile, all officers in lmota are by this notice directed to mount surveillance in lmota town to know where a woman died in LUTH today.

“In addition, we should all note that on NO account should a patient suspected to have any of the viral hemorrhagic fevers be moved or transferred from where he/she is once that diagnosis is being entertained. The officer there should contact his superiors locally plus the state epidemiology unit at Alausa and receive clear instructions on what to do next.

“Moving or transferring the suspect will only ignorantly expose more people and create unnecessary, irrational panic. Detain the patient there and make the call. We have two Lassa fever suspects admitted at Mainland Hospital, Yaba.”

When TheCable reached the Lagos state epidemiology centre via telephone, an official who identified himself as Munir Bankole answered the call but said he could not make a statement without approval from the ministry.

Kelechi Otuneme, spokesman of LUTH, said he was not aware of the development.

“I’m not aware of that so I won’t be able to give you any information on that. I don’t know of any suspected cases of Lassa fever in the hospital either. We don’t have any official information to that respect,” he told TheCable.

But in a statement released later in the day, Chris Bode, chief medical director (CMD) of the hospital, confirmed the deaths of two persons.

He also revealed that 100 people had been placed under surveillance.

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.