Kano State Government has confirmed four cases of Lassa fever, with three persons dead and one quarantined.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ibrahim Tsanyawa made the confirmation on Wednesday at an emergency press conference in Kano.
Tsanyawa said the ministry on Tuesday received information from its Health Educator in Tarauni Local Government, about the suspected cases of the disease at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH).
He explained that blood samples of the victims sent to Abuja for investigation turned out positive.
“A pregnant woman, who had a caesarian session (CS) at AKTH in December, was said to be a carrier of the disease and had died.
“Subsequent to that, one of the doctors and a health worker that carried out the CS on the woman also died, while another doctor is under care at the Isolation Centre at Yar Gaya area of Kano.
“The Consultant who took charge of the pregnant woman when she was moved to the Intensive Care Unit of AKTH has also died of the same symptoms,” he said.
In order to control the situation, the Commissioner said, the ministry has reactivated the state isolation centre as well as the state Rapid Response Team, in addition to the repositioning of drugs and consumables to prevent the outbreak of the disease.
Tsanyawa further revealed that there would be daily coordination of meetings at the State’s Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), to keep all stakeholders updated about the situation.
The commissioner called on residents and health workers in the state not to panic, as the state has taken control of the situation.
He urged the media to cooperate with the ministry in order to obtain and disseminate factual information on the situation, to prevent spreading rumours.
