RSG Alerts On Lassa Fever Outbreak

The Rivers State Government, has called on residents in the State to beware of the new deadly disease known as Lassa Fever in the State.

The State   Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker who made the call on Monday in Port Harcourt while briefing newsmen on the recent outbreak of the deadly disease said the disease was found in rats in dwelling homes and transmitted to human beings through food contaminated with infected rats excretion.

He said experts also discovered that people could be infected with Lassa Fever through direct transmission from infected persons.

According to him, the disease transmission also occurred through wounds with infected blood and aerosol spread.

He advised residents in the state to be alert and report to any nearby hospitals or health centres for immediate treatment of the disease with its symptoms.

He said a lot of people including youth corper members recently serving at Nkoro in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area died after contacting  the new disease.

Dr Parker appealed to journalists to spread the news about the danger in rodents especially rats in our homes particularly in the local areas.

The Commissioner further explained that Lassa Fever manifests with high .fever, sore throat, abnormal pains, vomiting, diarrhoea,  and eye inflammation .

He reiterated the state government’s commitment to reduce to the barest minimum deadly diseases in the state.

It would be recalled that Lassa Fever cases have been reported in Ebonyi, Nassarawa, Plateau, Yobe, Edo, Taraba, Lagos, and Rivers States.

Enoch Epelle