An outbreak of Lassa fever in Benue has resulted in 20 deaths, according to reports from the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH).
The Chief Medical Director of BSUTH, Dr. Stephen Hwande, stated during a press briefing in Makurdi that the hospital has treated around 300 cases of Lassa fever since the recent outbreak.
Dr. Hwande attributed the successful treatment of these cases to the hospital’s improved service delivery.
Out of the approximately 300 cases treated, fewer than 20 patients have succumbed to the illness, and only five individuals are currently receiving treatment in the isolated ward.
“We treated close to 300 cases of Lassa fever. We lost less than 20 people. The peak of the epidemic has passed, and now we have less than five people under admission,” the CMD disclosed.
Dr. Hwande noted that the hospital had recently recruited 400 staff members to bolster its human resources and improve services.
This recruitment drive, according to him, aimed to address various areas of need within the hospital, including neurosurgery, paediatrics, plastic surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, optometry, dentistry, physiotherapy, radiology, and nursing.
In the first quarter of 2024, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention documented 2,122 suspected cases of Lassa fever outbreaks across 21 states in Nigeria.
According to the Lassa Fever Situation Report for week six published on its website, the Disease Centre confirmed 411 cases and recorded 72 fatalities from the outbreaks as of February 11, 2024.