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RESIDENTS BLAME POOR HYGIENE AS LASSA FEVER SPREAD TO JALINGO, WUKARI 5 OTHER LGA

Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Innocent Vakkai, has said that seven local government areas in the state are affected by Lassa fever.
He identified the affected LGAs as Takum, Donga, Ibi, Gassol, Jalingo, Ardo Kola and Bali.
He made the disclosure during a one-day sensitisation workshop organised by the state directorate of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Jalingo.
He said already, 25 suspected cases of the deadly disease have been reported out of which six were confirmed and four deaths recorded in the state.
In her address, the state NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Florence Yaakugh, urged members to maintain high level of hygiene and cleanliness at all times to avoid infection.
She also called on the corps medical team to ensure that standard rules of protection was followed in the course of their duties and also refrain from taking hygiene issues for granted while discharging their professional duties.

Earlier a medical doctor at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo has contracted the deadly infection, Lassa fever.The acting Head, Clinical Service of the Hospital, Dr Ahmed Jatau at a parley with newsmen said the doctor is an in-house officer.
Taraba Truth and Facts gathered that Lassa fever has so far killed four in Taraba State with six persons testing positive.
The Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo has been designated a quarantine centre for treatment of the disease. Four suspected cases have so far died, while one of the doctors involved in treating the virus has been infected.
The State government is concerned that the Lassa virus is spreading. The commissioner for health disclosed that the federal government is partnering with the state government to contain the spread.
Residents attribute the spread of the disease to poor hygiene. Medical experts believe the aggressive campaign embarked upon by state's ministries of environment and health, will go along way in curbing the spread of Lassa fever in the state.

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