Lassa fever patient at LUTH survives

The authorities of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, on Friday said it had discharged its Lassa fever patient who had been in isolation for four weeks.

IT said the patient had now tested negative to the Lassa fever virus after weeks of receiving treatment.

The first case of Lassa fever in Lagos was diagnosed at the LUTH on January 15.

The patient, a 25-year-old student of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna state, contracted the virus before he came to visit his parents at Ifako-Ijaiye area of Lagos State.

He was admitted in a private hospital at Ifako-Ijaiye on January 9 and was transferred to LUTH on January 15 on an account of developing symptoms of fever, sore throat and body ache.

The medical personnel in LUTH had run a blood test on him, the result of which confirmed that he had Lassa fever.

“It is gladdening to note that the patient has fully recovered and has been discharged having tested negative for Lassa fever virus,” read the statement.

“When the case was reported, the Lagos State and Federal Governments were intimated and they gave a quick response by providing logistic support including providing the drug (ribavirin) for Lassa fever.”

LUTH said it mobilised its team of specialists, including nurses, virologists and medical microbiologists to manage the patient in an isolation centre.

According to the hospital, other infection control measures that were put into place included tacing and monitoring.

LUTH praised the federal ministry of health, national centre for disease control and the Lagos state government for their quick intervention, especially as it is one of the first hospitals in the south west that has successfully admitted, managed and discharged a Lassa fever patient in this current outbreak.

The statement called on multinational companies, corporate bodies and individuals to support and partner with LUTH to ensure efficient health care delivery to the country.