By Jonathan Ugbal
The Cross River government has taken bold steps to ensure the prevention and eventual effective management of the dreaded Lassa fever currently affecting states across Nigeria.
The state health ministry which says the state is currently free of the disease, released 18 phone numbers to the public to call in the case of eventuality in its bid to join hands with the federal government to curtail the spread.
The Health Commissioner, Inyang Asibong in a statement outlined steps which have been taken so far to ensure the state remains Lassa fever free and in the case of contamination, what will be done.
The statement, signed by Cocobassey Esu disclosed the signs and symptoms to include fever, facial swelling, muscle fatigue, conjunctivitis and mucosal with other symptoms arising from affected organs being bleeding, nausea, vomiting (bloody), diarrhoea (bloody), hypertension, meningitis, seizures and several others.
The emergency numbers were given as follows;
Abi 07037400747
Akamkpa 08038715409
Akpabuyo 08138901502
Bakassi 08022874600
Bekwarra 08072417474
Biase 08066127990
Boki 08069343461
C. Municipal 08101589562
Cal. South 07031826408
Etung 08164995536
Ikom 09022155086
Obanliku 08127194376
Obubra 08138271908
Obudu 08177359176
Odukpani 08061232835
Ogoja 07032402937
Yakurr 08069567651
Yala 08089456724
The statement urged the public not to panic as the state is currently Lassa fever free asking them to ensure their grains were properly stored, and they maintain a clean and healthy environment.
Lassa Fever which is also known as Lassa haemorrhagic fever was first discovered in 1969 at Lassa, Borno state and alongside Ebola, belongs to the Arenaviridae virus family.
There are 300 to 500 thousand registered cases each year, resulting in about 5,000 deaths with the host animal of the virus been the Natal multimmamate mouse (nastomys natalensis). The varied nature of the signs and symptoms makes it difficult to diagnose with Ribavin being its specific antiviral drug.
It is spread through contact between broken skin with the mouse’s excreta, ingesting food contaminated with the rat’s urine or other body fluids with people living in endemic areas at high risk.
Since it’s outbreak, about 8 states have reported over 76 cases which has resulted in over 40 deaths with 14 laboratory confirmed cases.
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