Delta commences fumigation of public places over Lassa fever outbreak

In a bid to respond to the recently confirmed outbreak of Lassa fever in seven states, the Delta State government has commenced fumigation of public places including markets and hospitals in the state.

John Nani, the State Commissioner for Environment who confirmed this yesterday, said it would be counter-productive for the state’s environment ministry to lag behind while the potential threat of the disease looms, noting that precautionary measures remain the best approach to adopt at present.

It would be recalled that Dr. Lawal Bakare, Communication Technical Assistant of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) had confirmed the outbreak of the fever in Nassarawa, Plateau, Ogun, Taraba, Ondo, Rivers and Edo States with significant casualties.
The state government last week issued a statement, advising all residents to adopt best hygiene practices.

Speaking on the strategies of preventing the spread of the disease to any part of the state, Nani explained that fumigation would assist in the routine activities of the ministry armed at checking the spread of the diseases, adding that the recently concluded periodic declination initiative of the menace of rodents in various market places in the state.
The commissioner maintained that government would continue to provide relevant precautionary measures that citizens should adopt to avoid the epidemic, noting that the disease thrives in a dirty environment.