Lassa Fever Outbreak in Taraba State: 38 Deaths Recorded By Larda Bazha Abraham Spreads to 10 out 16 LGAs Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

 

The Taraba State Ministry of Health has announced that the number of people who have died from Lassa fever in the state has risen to 38. Dr. Abe Agbu, the Director of Public Health, revealed this information in a phone interview. He also stated that 10 out of the 16 local government areas in the state have reported confirmed cases of the disease.

According to Dr. Agbu, there have been 181 suspected cases of Lassa fever in the state, with 76 of them confirmed positive. Unfortunately, 38 of the confirmed positive cases have resulted in death, which represents a 50% fatality rate.

The 10 affected local government areas are Bali, Ardo Kola, Donga, Gashaka, Gassol, Ibi, Jalingo, Lau, Takum, and Wukari. Dr. Agbu believes that there is a possibility that Lassa fever may be present in the remaining 6 local government areas.

In the past week, there have been 33 suspected cases, with 10 of them confirmed positive, and 4 deaths recorded. Sadly, the mortality rate for confirmed positive pregnant women has been 100%, with none of them surviving. Dr. Agbu attributes this high mortality rate to the unique challenges faced by pregnant women.

Healthcare workers in the state are worried about the increasing number of positive cases and deaths. Some doctors and nurses have expressed concerns about the lack of electricity and water at the Federal Medical Centre, which is affecting their ability to provide quality care and putting them at risk of preventable hazards.