The Ondo state government has disclosed At least 12 people have died from Lassa fever in, with 112 confirmed cases and 353 reported infections.
The Acting Statistician-General of Ondo State, Olusola Ajayi, disclosed these figures on Tuesday in Akure during an address to workers of the Ondo State Waste Management Authority.
He called on the agency to work with health stakeholders to promote a cleaner environment and help contain the spread of the disease.
“We are all in this together, and we must act fast. As of today, Ondo State has recorded 353 cases of Lassa fever, with 112 confirmed cases and 12 deaths. If we want to take action, the time is now,” Ajayi stated.
Likewise, the Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr. Adeniran Ikuomola, reported that the state had recorded close to 400 suspected cases since the recent outbreak.
Speaking in Akure at the unveiling of a new Lassa fever diagnostic centre, he noted that the facility was donated by the Federal Government, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) to strengthen detection and treatment efforts.
He emphasized that the state government was making continuous efforts to ensure the laboratory operates efficiently and to enhance collaboration with relevant agencies to reduce fatalities.
He further stated that although some deaths had occurred, the government was stepping up measures to minimize Lassa fever-related mortality.
