The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has revealed that 15 people have died of Lassa fever between January and February in Ondo state.
Dr Wale Oke, chairman of the medical association in the state said, “As at Thursday Feb. 21, 102 people have been tested positive to Lassa fever this year.”
He added that, “82 people in Jan. and 20 people so far in February apart from 15 deaths recorded in January as a result of the fever but no death has been recorded so far in Feb.
“Most people that died either reported late or were already subjected to alternative treatment and doing self medication before they eventually came to hospital.
“Their kidneys and livers had been affected as a result of the delay.”
The chairman of the medical association who is also a member at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, called on residents to report cases early to the medical centre if they experienced upsurge of temperature in their bodies.
In his words, “We have Contact Tracing Mechanism whereby we can place on surveillance for 21 days for those that may have contact with infected persons,” he added.
“We continue to monitor their temperature if it is above 37.8 we direct them for quick treatment.”
