Edo Commissioner for Health Warns Residents as Lassa Fever Cases Rise

Three more confirmed cases of Lassa fever have been reported by the Edo State Ministry of Health, bringing the total number of confirmed patients upon admission to 26.

Prof. Obehi Akoria, the state’s commissioner of health, revealed this on Wednesday.

Akoria criticized the state’s increasing Lassa fever cases and urged citizens to take precautions to stop the illness from spreading.

She stated that the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital is presently providing medical care to the confirmed individuals, which include seven youngsters and ten adult male and female patients.

She said, “There are now 26 patients in the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo State as a result of the state’s ongoing trend of Lassa virus cases rising steadily.

“All 26 confirmed cases—10 adult males, 9 adult females, and 7 children—are stable and responding to treatment at the time of admission.

“Lassa fever can be avoided. The state with the greatest incidence of Lassa fever in the nation is no longer Edo State. This demonstrates the effectiveness of our interventions and the possibility of preventing Lassa fever.

Akoria urged locals to refrain from bush burning, dispose of rubbish carelessly, and uphold strict standards of hygiene in the community.

She also pleaded with medical professionals to stop treating conditions that they are not qualified to handle and to swiftly report such cases, because early intervention is essential to survival and containment of spread.