Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Federal Government has asked Nigerians not to panic but be calm amidst rising cases of Lassa fever across the states and fear of coronavirus that is fast spreading beyond China where It was first detected in December 2019.
It reassured Nigerians that surveillance measures particularly at the five international airports in Nigeria and other entry points have been strengthened against the coronavirus and other communicable diseases.
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who addressed a press conference in Abuja, on Tuesday, confirmed that no fewer than 41 persons had died out of 258 cases of Lassa fever reported so far since the recent outbreak of Lassa fever, and most of them are from Ebonyi, Edo and Ondo states.
He accused some “mischievous” people and states of exaggerating the issue of the outbreak, thus increasing fear and tension among Nigerians.
He insisted that the situation was being controlled and the needed responses were being coordinated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) through National Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs).
He appreciated the effort of health workers and other stakeholders, particularly the NCDC whose efforts led to a significant drop in fatality rate in 2020 outbreak as against the previous year’s fatality record.
The minister said: “So far, the fatality rate is 15 percent as against 20 percent that was recorded in 2019. It was even 30 percent some years ago, but we have made significant improvement, and hope to achieve more in the coming days.”
NCDC Director, Prevention and Programme Coordination, Dr. Joshua Obasanya, in his remarks, confirmed that six healthcare workers were suspected to have contacted the virus.
“So far, five of the cases have been confirmed positive while the remaining one is still undergoing further test,” he said.
He, thus, suggested that accelerated attention and support be given to the search for a vaccine for Lassa fever and other communicable diseases that are endemic to Nigeria.
As regards coronavirus, the health Minister, Dr. Ehanire, assured Nigerians that Federal Ministry of Health has the capacity to detect, assess and adequately respond to any outbreak of coronavirus or any other communicable disease.
He said that Port Health Service of the ministry had commenced the implementation of measures that would help forestall importation of the disease or any other communicable disease.