Enugu Govt Takes Steps To Push Back Yellow Fever After Epidemic Killed Over 50

The Enugu State government, Wednesday, mapped out strategies towards combating yellow fever epidemic following the confirmation of the outbreak in Ette and Umuopu communities in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state last week.

THE WHISTLER reported that at least fifty persons, including an undergraduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, died in the two communities as a result of yellow fever.

A statement by the state commissioner of health, Dr Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, explained that among the measures adopted to curtail the fever were the activation of the Enugu State Ministry of Health Emergency Operations Centre for Yellow Fever; repositioning of General Hospital Ogrute, Enugu-Ezike, for the treatment; active case surveillance to obtain necessary information on the epidemic for further decision making; constitution of the Enugu State Multi-Sectoral Technical Working Group for the Yellow Fever Epidemic; and immediate commencement of mass vaccination for yellow fever in the affected communities.

Other measures include immediate fumigation against the mosquito vector in the affected communities; risk communication in the affected communities, as well as formal notification of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the National Arbovirus and Vectors Research Centre for a sustained response since yellow fever had also been reported in other states in Nigeria.

The commissioner commended traditional rulers, religious leaders, presidents general of town unions, and other stakeholders who contributed to the expedited response to the epidemic in the state.