Temisan Olaifa, Abeokuta
A 25-year-old member of the National Youth Service Corp has died of Lassa fever at a secondary health facility in ljebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The female corp member was said to have been sick while in Ondo State.
She was brought to the Ogun State health facility last Tuesday and later died the same day.
A statement signed by the Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, on Wednesday also confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever in the state.
The statement read in part, “Ogun State has confirmed a case of Lassa Fever and as such declared Lassa fever outbreak.
The index case is a 25-year-old female National Youth Corp member who fell sick while in Ondo State and was brought to one of our secondary health facilities in Ijebu North LGA on 18th March 2025 and later died the same day.
“ Lassa fever is a viral Haemorrhagic disease that presents with High-grade fever, Headache, General body weakness, Sore throat, Muscle pain, Cough, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhoea, Chest pain, and Unexplained bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, mouth and other body openings.”
The commissioner asked members of the community to report to the hospital if any of the listed symptoms were noticed.
She said, “We implore members of the community to promptly report to the hospital if they notice any of these symptoms.
“Any case of febrile illness that has not responded to 48 hours of use of anti-malaria or antibiotics should raise an index of suspicion for Lassa fever!
“We implore all Health facilities in Ogun State, public and private, to step up Infection Prevention and Control measures and to encourage compliance by all health facility staff.
“ Healthcare worker that suspects Lassa fever in a patient are advised to call their local government disease surveillance and notification officer (LGA DSNO), whose numbers are placed in our health facilities, or call the State Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (0703-421-4893) or State Epidemiologist (0808-425-0881). “
