By Luminous Jannamike
Federal Government has expressed its resolve to tackle the spread of Lassa fever disease which has claimed 41 lives in parts of the country since the beginning of 2020.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, who spoke at press briefing in Abuja, gave an update on the raging outbreak of the disease.
Hence revealed that at least two health professionals were among the 41 deaths recorded; adding that there were at least 258 confirmed cases recorded across 19 states in the country.
The Minister, who said all hands must be on deck to contain the spread of the disease, urged Nigerians in various parts of the country to practice good hygiene and protect their foods from rat contamination.
He also spoke about the outbreak of coronavirus reported in China, Germany, the United States, as well as two African countries.
Ehanire noted that the Federal Ministry of Health had issued advisories to relevant agencies of government and the public on the outbreak of the disease.
“The risk of importation was high even though no single suspected case has been reported in Nigeria,” he said.
He was, however, worried that suspected cases of the deadly virus had been picked in the Ivory Coast and Kenya; noting that it was easily transmitted by humans carriers of the disease.
As part of efforts against the spread of the disease, the Minister said the Federal Government has raised surveillance at all entry points into the country.
The Minister was specific about the preventive measures being taken at the five international airports in Nigeria – in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as Lagos, Enugu, Rivers, and Kano States.
Vanguard