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Fear grips FMC Yola officials, as Lassa fever hits Adamawa

By Emmanuel Ande 
15 April 2018   |   4:19 am
Fear has gripped medical officials at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yola, as there was Lassa fever breakout in the state, killing one security officer in the hospital on Friday.

Fear has gripped medical officials at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yola, as there was Lassa fever breakout in the state, killing one security officer in the hospital on Friday.

The head of infectious diseases and consultant at the FMC, Yola, Dr. Sati Awang, who confirmed the death of Mr. Gabriel Anbe, a security officer with Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Jalingo Taraba, said he died of Lassa fever confirmed by a test.

“The late Anbe was brought to our hospital on the recommendation of a private hospital, Peace Hospital in Yola, last Friday. On Monday, we took his blood sample and sent it to Eluwa Diseases Control Centre in Edo State on Tuesday. We received the result on Thursday, which confirmed him positive for Lassa fever and he died on Friday before we could commence full treatment.”

He said the late Anbe was isolated and his family members were also restricted from visiting him, due to the result of the blood tests, which indicated that he was affected with a serious infectious disease.

Awang, who lamented lack of properly equipped isolation unit, said out of its meagre resources, the hospital management temporary provided an isolation unit that is not up to standard.

The hospital management, on directives of World Health Organisation (WHO), told Anbe’s family that the corpse of Anbe would not be released to them, due to the hazardous nature of the disease that killed him.

Lassa fever has killed over 10 people in Taraba State, the station of late Gabriel Anbe, between 2017 and 2018.

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