Enugu: One Week After Yellow Fever Killed 50 In Igbo Eze North, 3 LGAs Report ‘Strange Deaths’
The Enugu State Ministry of Health, Monday, confirmed ‘strange deaths’ in its three local government areas of Nsukka, Isi-Uzo and Igbo-Etiti. This was contained in a press release issued by the state health commissioner, Dr Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi.
THE WHISTLER reports that over 50 persons died of confirmed cases of yellow fever in the two communities of Ette and Umuopu in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area of the state last week.
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According to the release, “The Enugu State Ministry of Health Rapid Response Team, LGA rapid response teams, international and local partners have also visited these LGAs to investigate the reports and take samples for testing just as was done for the reports at Igboeze North LGA.
“The new set of samples from these LGAs has been sent to the National Reference Laboratory at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for a thorough and complete examination to determine conclusively the reasons for these new sets of reports, and the results are expected back early this week. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all those who have lost loved ones in these times.”
The commissioner further urged the residents to observe preventive protocols, explaining that, “Yellow fever is transmitted through mosquito bites, thus remove mosquito breeding sites around your environment.
Yellow fever vaccination is not for treatment of yellow fever, it is for prevention of yellow fever. If you have been recently vaccinated against yellow fever, you do not need to be vaccinated again. It takes 10 days or more for yellow fever vaccine to start working after you have received it.”
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Dr Obi, while calling on people that display symptoms to visit health facilities for prompt action, added that health professionals were syrategically positioned for swift action.
He thanked traditional rulers, religious leaders, presidents general of town unions, other stakeholders and the good people of Enugu State for their efforts in sensitising the residents on health matters in the state.
