By Ayomide Otitoju
The Ogun State government has declared an outbreak of Lassa fever following the death of a 25-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member.
State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, confirmed the outbreak in a statement on Wednesday, revealing that the deceased corps member contracted the virus in Ondo State before being brought to a secondary health facility in Ijebu North Local Government Area, where she died.
“Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease with symptoms such as high fever, headache, weakness, sore throat, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, and unexplained bleeding from body openings,” Coker stated.
She urged residents to promptly report suspected cases to government health facilities and advised medical personnel to observe strict infection prevention protocols.
“Any case of febrile illness that does not respond to 48 hours of anti-malaria or antibiotic treatment should raise suspicion of Lassa fever,” she warned.
The commissioner assured the public that the state’s health authorities, in collaboration with the Rapid Response Team in Ijebu North East, were working to contain the outbreak through enhanced surveillance and community engagement.
Health workers were advised to contact the local government Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer or reach out to state health officials via dedicated emergency lines for prompt intervention.
“The Ogun State government remains committed to safeguarding public health through continuous surveillance and a rapid response to infectious diseases,” Coker affirmed.
