Lassa Fever: Ebonyi To Begin Temperature Checks At Motor Parks

The Ebonyi State
Government has concluded plans to commence temperature checks on individuals in its various motor parks to forestall the importation of Lassa fever.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Daniel Umezurike, told newsmen in Abakaliki that no case of the disease had yet been reported in Ebonyi.
“It is difficult to regulate peoples’ movement through the borders but we will commence checks on individual body temperatures at the motor parks for early detection of the disease.
“Modalities have been put in place to commence the checks as high fever is one of the symptoms of the dreaded disease.
“The checks will also be conducted at various hospitals and health centres across the state; we will quarantine infected persons and take necessary measures to prevent its spread.
“This will ensure early treatment as the state government has provided drugs and other necessary requirements to combat and treat patients.
“We have also intensified awareness campaigns in the state, especially on environmental cleanliness and avoidance of contacts with the vector — rats.
“The people should be educated that the disease is prevalent during the dry season when bushes are burnt and the rats relocate to people’s homes.
“They should stop eating rats and foods contaminated with the rat droppings, cover their foods appropriately and keep their surroundings clean,” he said.
He called on the Federal Government to build a virology centre in the state to help in the detection and treatment of contagious diseases.
The Chief Epidemiologist in the state, Mr Francis Onwe, said the ministry of health had conducted a research in collaboration with the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife on the prevalence of the vector-rat in the state.
“The result of the research conducted in highly prevalent areas of the state late last year is being expected,” he said.
He noted that the disease could be transmitted through primary means from rat to human and secondary means from human to human.