Test Confirms Osun Doctor Died Of Lassa Fever

The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University
Teaching Hospital Complex said on Wednesday that
laboratory test confirms that the resident doctor’s death
on Monday at the hospital was caused by Lassa fever.
The chairman of a committee set up by the OAUTHC on
Lassa fever, Prof. Adedeji Onayade, said this while
speaking to our correspondent in Osogbo on the
telephone.
He said the result of the first test carried out on the
sample of the deceased tested positive.
Onayade said, “We have a report back and the result
came as positive. We were supposed to do two tests but
the patient was dying when we took the first sample.
“We can’t do the second test now. So we can say it is 50
per cent but we are going ahead to take necessary steps.
We have informed all those who should know.”
He said the hospital was on top of the situation adding
that there was no need for anybody to panic as a result
of this.
There is fear among the residents of the state that the
situation may be worse because doctors in government
hospitals are on strike.
However, the Chairman Osun State Association of
Medical and Dental Officers, Dr. Isiaka Adekunle, had
earlier told our correspondent that the association would
suspend its strike in case of an outbreak of the disease.
He said, ” Though we are on strike, we still allow our
members in surveilance, HIV, tuberculosis to be working.
This is what the state government wants to use to break
our ranks but it cannot work. We asked them to be
working because we are not fighting against our people
but the government.
“But if there is an outbreak, we will suspend our strike
action and work to combat it. The state government is the
one prolonging the strike, we are ready to work when
our demands are met.”
Source: PunchNg