It was on Tuesday last week that a public health optometrist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, drew our attention to the resurgence of Lassa fever in Ebonyi State and Lokoga.
A fresh case of Lassa Fever has been recorded in Lokoja, Kogi State. This followed the death of a child in the early hours of Friday. The child had been admitted at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.
Meanwhile, a Medical Doctor who was said to have had contact with the deceased patient is currently sick. As at Saturday morning, when newsmen visited FMC Lokoja, the doctor, identified as Dr Osebi, was wheeled into an ambulance.
He was taken to Iruwa in Edo State. The latest incidence has thrown the hospital into confusion as those admitted in same ward with the baby were seen making efforts to be discharged. Currently, staff of the FMC Lokoja, have been placed on red alert, while those suspected to have also had contact with the baby have been confined.
Similarly, an emergency meeting of Doctors was summoned at the office of the CMD for appraisal on strategy and next line of action in curtailing an outbreak of Lassa Fever.