The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, has confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever that claimed the lives of three staff members of 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.
Speaking to journalists on Friday in Abuja, Idris said that the NCDC was closely monitoring the situation and working in collaboration with state health authorities to contain the spread of the disease.
Noting that the agency has dispatched rapid response teams to the affected areas in Kaduna State to conduct epidemiological investigations and implement necessary control measures, Idris emphasized on the need for early detection, prompt treatment, and community engagement in curbing the spread of the disease.
“Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, which is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces.”
“The disease is endemic in Nigeria, with sporadic outbreaks occurring primarily during the dry season,” Idris added.
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