Nine people have died as a result of the Lassa fever outbreak that has been plaguing Benue State for the last two months.
This was disclosed to reporters on Thursday by the state epidemiologist, Dr. Sam Ngishe, who also mentioned that some of the dead were living in camps for internally displaced people (IDPs).
“The IDP camp has a significant population of rats, based on our findings thus far. Therefore, if the rats that are spreading the disease are found within the IDP camps, it indicates that we must work hard to prevent an outbreak that will be challenging to contain, the epidemiologist stated.
He said that 46 persons in the state have been impacted by the illness, including IDPs and medical professionals.
Ngishe said that the disease has spread to seven of the state’s twenty-three local government areas, including Obi, Okpokwu, Gwer West, Makurdi, Guma, Gwer East, and Ukum. Four cases had been found among displaced people in the Ortese IDP camp in the Guma Local Government Area.
“Nine deaths in confirmed cases, and they have been buried across the various areas of the state where they hail from, in accordance with safe burial protocols,” he stated.
The epidemiologist reported that in response to the outbreak, the state government was stepping up efforts to lower the death rate, which was now higher than the 10 percent national average, and had put safe burial procedures for the deceased into place.
In order to slow the disease’s spread, Ngishe emphasized the significance of increased surveillance, risk communication, and community involvement.
He also emphasized the difficulties brought about by the conditions in IDP camps, such as inadequate nutrition, squalor, and congestion, all of which aid in the spread of infectious illnesses.
“You know that the IDP camp is a cluster setting with extremely poor infection control in terms of inadequate sanitation, crowded environment, and they have concerns of malnutrition,” he said. “There is active surveillance going on in the community (housing Ortese IDP camp).