Death toll rises to 58

Yinka Ogunlami 09:21 - 22 February 2016

Dr Osagie Ehanrie, Minister of state for Health during a visit to inspect Lassa fever facilities at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo, stated that about 58 lives out of the 83 diagnosed have lost their lives to the virus.

Read: 'Death toll till date is 47,' health minister says

He added that the government is progressing in curtailing the outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria.

“We have been trying to curtail Lassa fever, which is going down now and Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital is one of the centres of excellence. I came to see the status and how well they are coping.

“This hospital is one of the centres with special facilities and I came to see how well they are coping.

Read: Professor says Yorubas are immune to disease

“I have seen the equipment and the challenges and we are looking at ways to make sure Lassa fever does not become a yearly occurring problem,” he said.

Most recently, a professor, Christian Happi said that yoruba's are immune to Lassa fever and that the recorded cases are imported.