The Kogi state government has confirmed four cases of Lassa fever since the outbreak of the disease in the state this year.
Saka Audu, the state commissioner for health, disclosed this at a joint news conference on Thursday in Lokoja on ‘flood, lassa and other epidemic prone diseases’.
NAN reports that the briefing was organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in collaboration with the state ministry of health and other related ministries on public health.
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Represented by Ahmed Attah, the special adviser to the governor on health matters, Audu said that 10 suspected cases of Lassa fever were reported out of which four were positive.
He confirmed that two deaths were recorded among the four positive cases, while the other two were successfully treated.
He added that three of the four confirmed cases were from Ibaji local government area while one case was recorded in Ijumu local government area of the state.
The commissioner, therefore, advised residents to adopt all the necessary precautions to prevent the outbreak of the epidemic prone diseases in the state.
Lassa fever is a viral infection that occurs all year round but more cases are recorded during the dry season.
It is spread through direct contact with urine, faeces, saliva or blood of infected rats, eating food or drinking contaminated water.
The disease can be prevented through enhance personal hygiene, avoidance of all contact with rats (dead or alive) and keeping the house and surrounding clean always.