The Kano State government yesterday confirmed the death of another patient beside the two medical personnel reported earlier. Three persons – two medical doctors and a pregnant woman – died from Lassa fever, just as 292 others have been placed on the watch list in the state.

Three persons – two medical doctors and a pregnant woman – died from Lassa fever, just as 292 others have been placed on the watch list in the state

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, said the disease was suspected in three persons – two medical doctors and a nurse. And two of the cases were confirmed to be Lassa fever after their blood samples was taken to Gaduwa Reference Laboratory in Abuja for test. Dr. Tsanyawa confirmed that the index case of the killer fever was a 28-year-old pregnant woman from Gwale Local Government Area who became sick two weeks after the death of her mother.

He explained that the woman was referred from a private hospital to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) on December 31, 2019, but died on January 1, 2020. “Posing more risks to the state at large, more than 292 contacts have so far been line-listed and are currently being monitored by experts. These people were not on admission, rather, they were being monitored by our Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNO).

These persons would be on surveillance for three weeks before they could be confirmed free from the diseases,” the commissioner said as reported by Daily Trust.