5 new cases of Lassa Fever confirmed in Ondo State

5 people have been hospitalised in Ondo State for being infected with the dreaded Lassa Fever. Officials at the Ondo State Ministry of Health confirmed the development, saying five persons have so far been diagnosed with the disease in the state.

Three weeks ago, there were reports that a student of Achievers University, Owo, was infected with the disease and hospitalised at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo, Ondo state. This led parents and students of the institution to demand that the management of the school take measures to ensure the safety of the students. This led to a three-weeks mid-semester break being declared.

The Permanent Secretary of the state’s Ministry of Health, Taye Oni, told journalists in Akure that there were new cases of the virus in addition to the student of the Achievers University earlier diagnosed. He said two cases were recorded in Owo Local Government Area and two in Akoko North-West Local Government Area.

“Government is doing its best to contain the recorded cases by isolating the patients to prevent further spread,” Mr. Oni said. “We also embarked on aggressive contact tracing, sensitisation of the people not just in Owo and Ose but across the state on preventing and precautionary measures.”

In a statement on Wednesday, the Vice Chancellor of Achievers University, Tunji Ibiyemi, said the student who was infected with the disease did not get it from within the campus, but outside, Premium Times reports.

He blamed inflammatory media reports for the anxiety that trailed the incident, saying the student had since been undergoing treatment and would soon be discharged from the hospital.

“The Management of Achievers University, Owo takes the overall well-being of its staff and students seriously. Nothing is, therefore, spared to ensure this. Apart from the University health centre, which is empowered to cater for the health of students and staff promptly, the University has a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, to which staff and students are referred when the need arises,” the Mr. Ibiyemi explained.

“For a fact, a student of the University reported at the University health centre for treatment. However, she was not responding to treatment, and as usual, had to be referred to the FMC, where she was diagnosed of having Lassa fever symptoms. She has since stabilised, and will be discharged anytime soon. Investigation carried out by the University revealed that the affected student must have contracted the disease from outside the university premises as none of her roommates and friends, who have been screened, developed symptoms of the ailment. So, what we have in the university is an isolated case of Lassa fever, not an outbreak as being rumoured.”