FG raises alarm as Covid-19, Lassa and yellow fevers ravage Nigeria
Covid-19, Lassa and yellow fevers, killing "endangered specie" Nigerians
No fewer than 1,230 Nigerians have died in the past seven months from Covid-19 and Lassa fever related health complications, the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora said.
He made this known in Abuja at the joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19.
The minister confirmed 180 new cases of Covid-19 and two deaths recorded in the last 24 hours to bring the total number of confirmed cases to 64,516 from the 697,544 persons tested so far.
He said, “a total of 60,737 cases have been treated and discharged while there are currently 2,617 active cases currently receiving care at home or in a facility.”
He, however, added, “we have sadly recorded 1,162 deaths with a case fatality rate of 1.8 per cent.”
Mr Mamora also said Nigeria had recorded 1,131 confirmed cases of Lassa fever in 27 states even as he confirmed new cases and deaths in Enugu, Delta and Ondo.
“In Delta State, 23 cases have been reported with 17 deaths while in Enugu State, 51 deaths have been reported. In both states, most of the affected are males, aged between one and 55 years.
He said in the last weeks, the number of new confirmed cases of Lassa fever has increased from three to 11 this week.
“Although nearly three-quarters of the confirmed cases are in Ondo state, Lassa fever can affect anyone anywhere,” he said.
According to him, “most reported cases presented with fever, headache, fatigue and weakness, jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting (with or without blood), nose bleeding, blood in stools/urine, convulsions and unconsciousness.”
He also added that fatality is lower if patients report early for treatment.
He said the government is, however, investigating the mysterious deaths in Delta and Enugu states, adding that they have dispatched experts to support the investigation.
The Minister also confirmed four positive cases of yellow fever in Delta and Enugu States.
“As of November 6, three samples from Delta and one from Enugu have been confirmed positive for yellow fever,” he said.
