#AIR-CLINIC WRITING CONTEST 13: Tears Of Blood- The Lassa Fever STory
Outrageous outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria
There is an outbreak of Lassa fever in some states in Nigeria. It is a dangerous human disease caused by a virus carried by rats. It is spread by eating food or drinking water contaminated with urine, feaces, saliva or blood of rats, and direct contact with body fluids of rats or infected persons.
symptoms: Lassa fever usually starts with fever, general weakness, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, rashes.
According to the Minister of Health of the federal republic of Nigeria , Prof. Isaac Adewole, has said the current outbreak of Lassa fever has affected 15 states with 105 laboratory confirmed cases, three probable cases and 31 deaths. The minister, who made this known at the Emergency National Council of Health in Abuja , said that in 2018 alone, Nigeria recorded 77 cases of Lassa fever.
According to him, the cases were in Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Ebonyi, Rivers, Imo, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Osun and Lagos states in the whole federation of Nigeria.
Analysis of these figures published by The Nigeria Centres for Disease Control (NCDC) Abuja showed that cases of Lassa fever have rocketed by nearly 50 per cent in ten days (from 615 on February 13 to 913 on February 23 ) . Another interesting thing is that the case fatality ratio ( CFR ) has increased from 15 per cent recorded by the World Health Organisation’ s (WHO ) Fact Sheet on Lassa fever to 23 . 9 per cent by the NCDC.
Prevention
Lassa fever can be treated if detected early.Visit the nearest health centre near you for treatment . If you think you have been infected with lassa fever avoid contact with other people, seek health advice, go the nearest facility immediately, drink plenty of fluids
Helplines and more info
Call NCDC for help Toll-Free on 0800-970000-10 Whatsapp- +2347087110839 SMS +2348099555577 Visit www.ncdc.gov.ng , Facebook and Twitter @NCDCgov
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