Osun confirms two cases of Lassa fever

The Osun State Government on Monday confirmed two cases of Lassa fever in the state.
Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, the state Commissioner for Health, made this known on Monday in Osogbo at a news conference also attended by Dr. Olasiji Olamiju, the Special Adviser to Governor Gboyega Oyetola on Public Health.
Isamotu said the two affected victims were currently on admission at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife and its Annex in Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa.
The commissioner said the state government was doing everything possible to curtail the two confirmed cases so as not to spread.
He said the state government had also sent drugs to the victims for their treatment, adding that other samples proved negative.
Isamotu said two isolation centres had been set up in the state for those who might be tested positive to the virus.
He appealed to residents of the state not to be panic, adding that the state government was on top of the situation.
Isamotu said the state government had put its health officials across the state on alert, while necessary measures were in place to prevent the spread of the virus.
Also, Olamiju said there was no truth in the report that one of the victims had fled from the hospital.
Olamiju said the state government does not have such information at its disposal.
He said the state government had embarked on sensitisation programme on the outbreak of the virus in all the local government areas in the state.
Olamiju appealed to residents of the state to keep clean environment and also ensure that they keep their homes from rats.
While appealing to people of the state not to panic, Olamiju noted that the virus was common during the dry season.
He said due to the high temperature, rat, which was the major cause of Lassa fever, always looks for a cooler environment to hide.
Olamiju urged the public to report any suspected cases of the virus to the health officials through the following lines: 08187187678, 08173112320 and 08056456250.