Health authorities in Anambra are on alert after a Lassa fever infection was confirmed in the state. The patient has links to Omasi, a community in Ayamelum Local Government Area.
The person is not being treated in Anambra. Doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, in neighbouring Ebonyi State, are handling the case.
Health Commissioner Dr Afam Obidike announced the confirmation on Monday in Awka, the state capital. He spoke at an emergency meeting of stakeholders. Partners such as the World Health Organisation and Médecins Sans Frontières took part. The meeting ended with the Incident Management System being switched on to coordinate the response.
Obidike said surveillance and public sensitisation have been stepped up. Teams will visit the patient’s household in Omasi and trace everyone who had contact with the patient. Contacts will then be sorted by how exposed they were, so each can be monitored properly.
He advised anyone with a lingering fever to go to a hospital without delay. The same applies to malaria-like symptoms that do not improve after proper treatment. Relying on self-medication alone is risky, he said, because early diagnosis and good care are vital.
How Residents Can Protect Themselves
State Epidemiologist Dr Chuma Emembolu focused on keeping rats away from food. Households should cover food and store it in containers that rodents cannot get into. Rat urine and droppings can contaminate food and household items, so surroundings should be kept clean.
He also warned people not to touch the blood or other body fluids of suspected or confirmed patients. Residents should follow the guidance of health workers and observe infection prevention rules strictly.
Emembolu appealed to people in Omasi, other Ayamelum communities and the rest of the state to stay watchful. He asked them to work with health officials and not to spread unverified information.
