Lassa Fever Claims Another Life In Ebonyi

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Abakaliki

Abakaliki, Ebonyi State – The deadly Lassa fever disease has claimed the life of a ten year old boy in Ebonyi state, making it two people that have been killed by the disease in the state in the last two months.

Dr. Daniel Umezurike, the state Commissioner for Health disclosed this to newsmen in Abakaliki, the state capital on Monday.

AFRICAN EXAMINER recalled that the first victim of the disease in the state was a student of the State owned University, EBSU Abakaliki, who died in January this year.

According to the Commissioner, the deceased died at the weekend after being discharged from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

Hear him: “The incident is unfortunate, the deceased was a pupil of one of the primary schools in Igbeagu, Izzi Local Government Area.

“The bereaved parents are based in Abuja, but the report we have did not indicate that he travelled to meet his parents recently,”

Dr. Umezurike, noted that the deceased was not taken to the hospital immediately he fell sick, which made his condition critical.

“He, however, responded to treatment in the hospital which made the authorities to discharge him, but he unfortunately died the day he was discharged.

“The hospital certified him fit after treatment but before he was discharged, we had already taken his test sample to the relevant quarters where the result read positive

“We have also intensified our enlightenment campaign among the citizens on ways to prevent the disease and immediate report of suspected cases to relevant authorities.