A TOTAL of 2,845 citizens are currently under watch in Nigeria as Lassa
\nfever is again raiding the most populous black country in the world.
\nThe World Health Organisation (WHO), an agency of the United Nations said
\nin Abuja, Nigerias capital city on Wednesday that the countrys Lassa
\nfever outbreak has reached record highs with 317 laboratory confirmed
\ncases. WHO is attributing this to figures released by the Nigeria Centre
\nfor Disease Control (NCDC) this week.<\/p>\n
Although endemic to the giant of Africa, Lassa fever has never reached
\nthis case count in Nigeria before. The number of confirmed cases during
\nthe past two months exceeds the total number of confirmed cases reported
\nin 2017.<\/p>\n
The outbreak has affected 18 states since the first case was detected on WHO is supporting the NCDC-led response with a focus on strengthening The ability to rapidly detect cases of infection in the community and Health facilities are particularly overstretched in the southern states of Given the large number of states affected, many people will seek Health workers are being trained in infection, prevention and control WHO is also supporting national response efforts in neighbouring Benin, The UN agency is equally supporting coordination for Nigerias response to A TOTAL of 2,845 citizens are currently under watch in Nigeria as Lassa fever is again raiding the most populous black country in the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO),…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":61069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nJanuary 1<\/span><\/span>, this year, resulting in 72 deaths caused by the acute viral
\nhaemorrhagic fever. The total of 2,845 people who have come into contact
\nwith patients have been identified and are being monitored.<\/p>\n
\ncoordination (including through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response
\nNetwork), surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, clinical
\nmanagement of patients, and community engagement. State health authorities
\nare mobilizing doctors and nurses to work in Lassa fever treatment
\ncentres.<\/p>\n
\nrefer them early for treatment improves patients chances of survival and
\nis critical to this response, said Dr Wondimagegnehu Alemu, WHO
\nRepresentative to Nigeria.<\/p>\n
\nEdo, Ondo and Ebonyi. WHO is working with health authorities, national
\nreference hospitals and the Alliance for International Medical Action
\n(ALIMA) to rapidly expand treatment centres and better equip them to
\nprovide patient care while reducing the risks to staff. Among those
\ninfected are 14 health workers, four of whom have died.<\/p>\n
\ntreatment in health facilities that are not appropriately prepared to care
\nfor Lassa fever patients and the risk of infection to healthcare workers
\nis likely to increase, said Dr Alemu.<\/p>\n
\nmeasures, such as the importance of wearing personal protective equipment
\n(PPE) and isolating patients during treatment. WHO has provided an initial
\nsupply of PPE, other related materials and is assessing additional needs
\nwith a view to addressing them.<\/p>\n
\nwhere more than 20 suspected cases have been reported.<\/p>\n
\nLassa fever with national and state health actors, and stakeholders and
\nwith partners in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN),
\nincluding the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention,
\nthe Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Afenet, the Alliance
\nfor international Medical Action, the Nigeria Red Cross Society, UNICEF,
\nthe University of Maryland, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Irrua
\nSpecialist Teaching Hospital, the Federal Medical Centre Owo, and the
\nFederal Teaching Hospital Abakiliki. ENDS<\/p>\n