Kogi Lassa fever: Sister to late Aisha manifesting symptoms

The Kogi State Government said yesterday that a sister to late Aisha Jimoh, who died of Lassa fever on Monday, has started manifesting symptoms suggestive of haemorrhagic (Lassa) fever.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Audu, who confirmed this to newsmen in Lokoja, said that the victim was one of the 15 people who had contact with Aisha before her death at the General Hospital, Irua, Edo.

According to Audu, the victim said to be 14 years old and immediate younger sister to the late Aisha started manifesting the symptoms on September 3.

He said that the victim and 14 others had been in isolation in a ward at the State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, since the late Aisha was diagnosed of the disease.

“The State Rapid Response Team already had an alert cases of 15 persons and they are monitoring them on daily basis. We have already prepared an Isolation Centre in Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, to take care of the patients,” the commissioner said.

He said that the blood sample of the victim had been collected for laboratory test and confirmation.

“The patient will be transferred to Irua if tested positive for Lassa fever. We urge the general public to remain calm and give us the necessary support as the state government is working round the clock to forestall further loss of life,” Audu said.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) recalls that Aisha Jimoh, an 18-year-old senior secondary school student, died of Lassa fever in the early hours of September 4 at the General Hospital, Irua, Edo State. (NAN)