Lassa fever confirmed cases rise to seven in Bauchi

Armstrong Bakam, Bauchi

Four new cases of Lassa fever have been confirmed in Bauchi State, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state in 2020 to seven, the Primary Health Care Development Agency in the state has disclosed.

The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr Rilwan Mohammed, made this disclosure to journalists at a Press Conference on Friday in Bauchi.

He said that the suspected cases have risen from 15 last week to 22, adding that all the cases have been forwarded to the National Disease Control Center in Abuja for testing and authentication.

Mohammed, who stated that Lassa fever was not new in the state, however, said no death has so far been recorded in the state in 2020.

He said, "The last time we told you that we had 15 suspected cases but as of now, the suspected cases have increased to 22. I also told you last time that we had three confirmed cases, four new cases have been added, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state to seven.

"The seven confirmed cases this year are as follows: Bauchi has two, Tafawa Balewa has two, while Kirfi, Alkaleri and Toro have one case each.

"We have two more suspected cases in Giade Local Government and one in Azare, Katagum LGA. We are planning on what to do with Azare because it is close to Kano State and since there is an outbreak there (in Kano), we are now afraid."

Mohammed added that there was a suspected case that was brought "from there Giade and the patient was bleeding, so they were confused. We in Bauchi are not panicking, we are trained and this is not new to us in the state, so we know what to do".

He warned that "all Lassa fever cases should be transported in an ambulance and not in a commercial car because it can be transmitted to those in the vehicle".

He said that the agency would soon embark on a media campaign to sensitize the public on all preventive measures that they need to observe to stay safe and prevent the disease from spreading.