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Tuesday, 23 February 2016 13:53

Lagos Strange killer Disease: Laboratory Tests Show Measles Virus

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HEALTH 300x211Lagos State Government, yesterday, confirmed that the blood samples of victims of the epidemic of febrile rash illness that claimed the lives of over 20 children in Otodo Gbame community in Eto-Osa Local Government Area of the state showed measles virus.  
 
Giving an update at a briefing in Lagos, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said all the blood samples taken to the Central Public Health Laboratory, Yaba, tested positive for IgM, a blood marker for recent infection with measles virus.  
 
He added that four throat swaps and one blood samples investigated at the virology reference laboratory, LUTH, indicated the presence of measles virus through polymerase chain reaction, PCR, technique. 
 
He attributed the epidemic to poor environmental sanitation, lack of potable water in the area and missed immunisation in the area. According to him, the result of the water samples analysed at the Drug Quality Control Laboratory yielded several pathogens, an indication that the well water is not safe for human consumption. To this end, the ministry will tomorrow despatch another combined team of experts from the ministries of Environment, Health and other relevant agencies to conduct proper assessment of the environment. The commissioner also disclosed that the ministry had directed all local government areas to take inventory of all slums in their areas to ensure prompt response and prevent epidemic outbreak. 
 
He said: “We are taking census of slums in Lagos because the number of deaths was unusual. It must have been complicated by malnutrition. “The area was not designed for residential purposes, but was a reclaimed land. That may have been the major reason why the children were missed during immunisation. “Right now, awareness and community sensitisation is ongoing. Active case search is also ongoing. 
“Members of the public and health workers are to report any strange illness to the nearest health facility or call 08037170614, 08055281442 and 08023169485.”

Source: Medical World Nigeria

Read 567 times Last modified on Monday, 26 July 2021 08:41

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