A 32 year old woman from Jere Local Government Area of Borno, northeast Nigeria is receiving treatment for testing positive to Lassa fever.
Lassa fever is an acute viral (mostly fatal) disease usually acquired from multi mammate rats through their urine or feaces. The disease mostly seen in West Africa was first reported in Lassa town of Borno state in 1969.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Haruna Mshelia on Wednesday said the woman presented some signs which included bleeding from the nose, anus, birth canal and other openings on her body that led to her blood samples tested which came out positive.
“Her blood samples were taken to laboratory in Lagos and the result came out yesterday evening that it was positive with the lassa virus”.
Her case is coming forty eight years after the first case of the fever was reported in the state.
Dr Mshelia said the situation was under control,he however caution Nigerians to keep their environment clean.
According to World Health Organisation, between August 2015 and 17 May 2016, it had been notified of 273 cases of Lassa fever, including 149 deaths in Nigeria. .
