HOSPITAL CLOSED AFTER SUSPECTED LASSA FEVER CLAIMS FOUR LIVES IN NASARAWA.

At least four people, including two pregnant women, have reportedly died from suspected Lassa fever cases in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Investigations on Wednesday showed that the outbreak prompted the closure of the General Hospital in Awe, while health workers at the facility, including the Medical Superintendent, were placed under isolation as a precautionary measure.
The Disease Surveillance Officer in the area, Ahmad Abdullahi, said alarm was raised when a woman was rushed to a health facility in Awe with symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever but died before receiving treatment. He added that her husband later died after exhibiting similar symptoms.
Abdullahi identified poor handling of suspected cases as a major challenge in containing the outbreak, noting that some patients referred to Lafia for isolation allegedly escaped.
“None of the disease surveillance officers across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State has been provided with motorcycles, which is hampering rapid response, especially in hard-to-reach areas,” he said.
He further disclosed that although the state government deployed an ambulance to transport six suspected cases to Lafia for isolation, the individuals reportedly absconded before their laboratory results were released.
A nurse at the General Hospital, Awe, Ovey Polycarp, also appealed for the urgent supply of personal protective equipment for health workers to prevent further spread of the disease.
The two pregnant women were brought to the hospital around the same time with symptoms similar to malaria, but their conditions worsened into bleeding and haemorrhage, leading to their deaths,” she said. “We are living in fear because we lack protective gear to handle the situation.”
Responding to the reports, the Director of Public Health at the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, Dr Peter Attah, said only one case had been laboratory-confirmed in Awe LGA, noting that the patient died before the test result was received.
Meanwhile, fumigation exercises are ongoing at the General Hospital in Awe to curb the spread of the disease to nearby communities.