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Govt refutes claims mysterious deaths in Kogi caused by Lassa fever

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The government of Kogi State has debunked claims in some quarters that Lassa fever is the mysterious disease in the state that has killed about 62 persons and left many in hospitals.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Saka Audu, dismissed the claim when he addressed newsmen in Lokoja on Saturday. He also refuted claims that about 62 people have been killed by the mysterious ailment in Yagba West Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, the state government was going to investigate and count the number of grave sites of those demised by the disease in order to determine the actual number of people who died as a result of the mysterious disease.

He said, “The current information available to us is that the strange disease actually started six weeks ago in Okoloke village in Yagba West, which is a settlement that is predominantly inhabited by Fulani herdsmen.

“There have been cases of reported deaths following abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, but the patients who showed signs of illness had since been evacuated and transported to Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja for better treatment.

“So far, we have evacuated 39 patients from Okoloke area and only six of them were admitted and have shown significant sign of improvement while others have since been discharged. Out of the six that were admitted, three of them were diagnosed of gastroenteritis and the remaining three were just cases of malaria, and they have shown remarkable signs of improvement.

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“Honestly, we have decided to carry out the ideal findings, so that we can come up with the actual figure of deaths. We will investigate and trace the dead people to the graveyard and come up with the correct figure.

“We want to assure the general public that government is doing all that is humanly possible to stay on top of the situation and forestall further loss of lives. We will continue to inform the public as the investigation progresses.”

Audu insisted that the disease was not a case of Lassa fever, explaining that a laboratory tests conducted on the patients by medical experts drafted to the community proved negative. He said those so far diagnosed were found to be suffering from gastroenteritis and Malaria.

 

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0 Comments

  1. Anita Kingsley

    August 20, 2017 at 9:17 am

    So reporters lied to. Nigerians again, what have they gained? The state government should sue the media house that broke the fake story

    • yanju omotodun

      August 20, 2017 at 12:17 pm

      It’s abnormally normal in Nigeria for media to herald fake news and it’s not a new thing after all government also lies

      • JOHNSON PETER

        August 20, 2017 at 9:17 pm

        Media ought to be a model of truth and not lies, this is what we shall achieve in Biafra

  2. Animashaun Ayodeji

    August 20, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    Nigeria’s health care system is bad that’s why people believed the fake report about Lassa fever. We need to step up our healthcare.

    • Abeni Adebisi

      August 20, 2017 at 2:20 pm

      Iran not today that’s our health care hasn’t been bad, but reporters need to be factual in their report. The figure reported was outrageous, they need to be cautioned

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