An NYSC member deployed to Cross River State, Mr Onwuegbuzie
Stanley-Samuel, has died of Lassa Fever Disease. The Babcock University
graduate died at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).
Read Report Below, as gathered by Vanguard:
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong, who disclosed
this to journalists on Friday in Calabar, said that the deceased hailed
from Delta and was serving in Obubra before he died. Abisong said that
the deceased was first admitted at the General Hospital, Obubra, where
he was treated for cerebral malaria for one week.
She said that his condition got worse and he was referred to the UCTH
for further treatment while his blood sample was taken to Irrua
Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo for diagnosis.
“The incident started about two weeks ago in Obubra and we all know that the incubation period of Lassa fever is 3-21 days.
“The deceased is an indigene of Delta State. The last time he
travelled to his home in Lagos State was during the Christmas period in
December 2016 and came back to Cross River in January 2017.
“The deceased was living in the corps members’ lodge in Obubra and
since he came back in January, he has not left that community
“Unfortunately, we finally lost him yesterday. Sadly, the corps member
contracted the disease in Cross River,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Thompson Igbu, Coordinator, World Health Organisation
(WHO), Cross River has assured the residents that the organisation had
been working hard to prevent further spread of the disease. Igbu said
that the organisation was working closely with the state Ministry of
Health to curb further spread of the disease in the state. According to
him, over 15 persons, including the deceased colleagues living in the
NYSC lodge in Obubra, had been line-listed.
“We have line-listed over 15 persons in Obubra who are `primary
contact’ and the hospital where the deceased was first admitted has also
been line-listed. “We are supporting the state with essential drugs and
we are making sure that necessary steps are taken to curb further
spread of the disease’’, he said.
Dr Ngim Ogbu, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, UCTH, said that
the corps member`s death was the second recorded case of death resulting
from Lassa fever in the hospital. Ogbu said that the infection control
unit of the hospital was on top of the case from the beginning by
limiting the number of contacts.
“The body of the deceased has not been sent to the mortuary, this is
because we are taking measures to curb further spread of the disease’’,
he said.