Two patients have died of Lassa fever at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos.LUTH’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Chris Bode, who confirmed the deaths on Tuesday, stated that a resident doctor who took part in the autopsy of one of the deceased was infected.He said that the doctor was receiving treatment at the Isolation Ward in LUTH.
Bode noted that two suspected cases were being followed up.According to him, the first case was detected in a 39-year-old pregnant woman who had a bleeding disorder following a still birth, while the second victim died within a few days of being admitted to the hospital.The hospital’s management explained that 100 hospital workers who had contact with the index patients were being monitored for the symptoms of the disease.
The CMD, however, urged patients and health workers at the teaching hospital not to panic as, according to him, there are relevant drugs and resources to prevent an outbreak or spread of the disease within the health facility.
He said the state Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Health had sent personnel and experts to assist with the tracing and follow-up of contacts in addition to managing suspected cases.