FCT Records 2 Cases Of Lassa Fever, Heightens Surveillance

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, said it has tracked two cases of Lassa fever and consequently heightened surveillance to ward off a widespread outbreak.

Mandate Secretary, Health and Environmental Services Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, disclosed this, yesterday, in Abuja.

Noting that there was no fatality, she said her office had received an alert of Lassa fever from a clinician in Bwari General Hospital.

According to her, investigations were immediately initiated, which revealed the cases of children 14 months and 13 years old respectively, who had contact with their mother in Bauchi and became high risk.

She said after their mother died of Lassa fever in Bauchi, their father brought them back to Abuja, where the 14 months tested positive, while the 13-year-old was negative.

Fasawe also revealed that the second positive case was reported by clinicians at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, and is currently receiving care.

She advised residents to desist from exposing their foods to the reach of rats and to also cultivate the habit of reporting strange symptoms to the nearest health centres.

Fasawe said; “On January 15, 2024, the FCT Public Health Department received an alert of Lassa Fever from a Clinician in Bwari General Hospital hospital. A rapid response team was mobilized to investigate the cases.

“Investigations revealed that they were high-risk contacts of their mother. Samples were collected and sent to the National Reference Laboratory for confirmation

“The mother was a confirmed case, diagnosed at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi. Following her demise, the father travelled on the 9th of January, 2024 to Bauchi to bring back the children who had accompanied their mother to Bauchi and returned to the FCT on January 12, 2024.”