Pregnant woman contracts Lassa fever as victim dies

Samuel Awoyinfa, Abeokuta
The Ogun State Government says the first Lassa fever patient in the state, who was being treated at an isolation centre of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Hospital Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, has died.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, who disclosed this on Sunday in Abeokuta, told journalists that a pregnant woman has also contracted the virus.

The commissioner, who simply identified the diseased victim as Eze, said the woman who was twelve weeks pregnant had also been moved to the isolation centre at the OOUTH, Sagamu.

Ipaye said the first victim, who ought to have completed her treatment on Sunday, suddenly died, after spending nine days at the isolation centre.

He said, “The deceased was responding positively to treatment before she started developing complications on Saturday.

“The state government was planning to celebrate the success of her case while the family was planning a thanksgiving Service before her death.”

Ipaye, however, said that none of the 121 primary contacts had come down with any fever or symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever.

The commissioner added that the state government had received the consent of the family members to bury Eze according to the guidelines of the World Health Organisation and National Protocol on management of Lassa fever.

The deceased reportedly travelled from Ebonyi State where she had gone to attend a burial ceremony to Ogun State on January 15, before breaking down with fever. She visited two private hospitals for treatment before her status was confirmed.
Like the index case, Ipaye said the 28-year-old pregnant woman also travelled out of the state recently.

He said she had recently returned from Kogi State where she went to attend a wedding ceremony.

The patient, according to the Commissioner came down with fever and reported herself at a Primary Health Centre in Obantoko, Abeokuta where she was referred to Federal Medical Centre also in the state capital.

It was at the FMC that her status was confirmed.

He added that the state government had also identified 60 primary contacts with the second case, putting the contacts in the state now at 181.

Ipaye explained that the patient who was initially weak and unconscious had been stabilised, adding that she had started responding to treatment, and that she had been on admission for the three days.