Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA) on Monday decried the resurgence of Lassa Fever, with two confirmed cases in Abuja.
The Mandate Secretary, FCTA’s Secretariat for Health and Environmental Services, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, who raised the alarm, called for urgent precautionary measures by residents and all stakeholders.
Fasawe revealed that already two cases had been established, without any death.
He disclosed that the resurgence became public knowledge after an alert of Lassa Fever was received by her Secretariat from a clinician in Bwari General Hospital.
Fasawe noted that investigations that were immediately initiated, revealed the cases, children of 14 months and 13 years old respectively, who had contacts of their mother in Bauchi and became at high risk.
According to her, 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 years old was negative.
It was also revealed that the second positive case was reported by clinicians at the Abuja University Teaching Hospital, and is currently receiving care.
She further warned 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.
“On the 15th of January, 2024, the FCT Public Health Department received an alert of Lassa Fever from a Clinician in Bwari General hospital ( BGH). A rapid response team was mobilised to investigate the cases. Investigation revealed that they were Hugh risk contacts of their mother. Samples were collected and sent to the National Reference Lab for confirmation.
“The mother was a confirmed case, diagnosed at the 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 the 12th of January, 2024”.
