Lassa fever has killed a doctor and three other persons in Anambra State.
The Ministry of Health broke the news yesterday in Awka, the state capital, during a training workshop on Lassa fever.
One of the resource persons Dr Jane Ezeonu said the doctor died three days ago at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) at Nnewi.
The state’s Director of Public Health, Dr Emmanuel Okafor said three other persons had died of the disease.
Ezeonu said the late doctor was referred to NAUTH from Asaba, the Delta State capital.
She warned against drinking raw garri, adding that the residents should protect their foodstuffs and related items from rats.
The expert noted that people don’t acquire immunity after suffering from Lassa fever.
Ezeonu said general hygiene was important in Lassa fever prevention.
Okafor said the essence of the workshop was to train professionals who would educate rural dwellers on the prevention of the disease.
He said: “In Anambra State, we don’t know the number of cases of the disease. But we have three confirmed deaths.”
The director urged health workers to follow a high health standard in handling Lassa fever cases.
He said the state government had put machinery in motion to tackle the outbreak. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Okwuchukwu Chukwuka, insisted that there was no such epidemic in the state.
He represented Commissioner for Health, Dr Josephat Akabuike, at the training workshop.
Chukwuka said: ”It is a training workshop for health professionals in the 21 local government areas of the state who would sensitise and disseminate information about Lassa fever to the grassroots.
“We are having the workshop for prevention, not that we have an epidemic in the state.”