Bauchi State records 21 cases of virus in 5 months - PHCDA

Bauchi State has recorded 21 cases of Lassa fever since November ,2015, Dr Adamu Gamawa, Chairman, State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), has said.

Gamawa made the disclosure in Bauchi on Thursday, saying 11 victims had died and 10 on admission at the Exclusive Unit of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.

He said the cases occurred in 12 communities of Bauchi, Alkaleri, Toro, Tafawa Balewa and Dass local government areas of the state.

Gamawa said the most recent case was in Ja’eh hamlet of Bal village in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area where a 78 years old man who was infected had nine members of the family infested.

He said that another seven samples had been sent to Irua, Edo, for laboratory analyses.

The chairman said that the state government had approved the construction of an Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) in Bayara, a suburb of Bauchi, to deal with related cases.

He advised members of the public against treating suspected cases at patent medicines stores and traditional medical homes but to report to nearby health facilities for prompt action.

Mrs Martha Izang, a Nursing Superintendent and Ward Manager, at ATBUTH, Bauchi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that “I have six males and three females currently in the camp.

"I am equally expecting one male to be transferred from the Intensive unit of the hospital to the camp that has been confirmed to be infected with the disease,” Izang said.

She said that the patients were responding to treatment and confirmed the availability of drugs and accessories for the treatment of the patients.