At least four persons including a 32-year-old female who was preparing for her wedding have been confirmed dead from suspected Lassa fever outbreak in Saki town of Oyo State.

Commissioner for Information and Orientation in the state, Prince Dotun Oyelade said in a statement in Ibadan on Thursday, that the Oyo State Rapid Response Team (RRT) confirmed four deaths believed to be caused by suspected Lassa fever in Saki West local government area of the state.

Aside from the female victim, Oyelade said three other male persons were among the fatalities.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi had earlier deployed the Rapid Response Team to the town following numerous calls from the local government reporting an outbreak that has led to a number of deaths.

Ajetunmobi said the team, consisting of the Director of Public Health, the State Epidemiologist, State Disease Notification Officer (DSNO), state laboratory focal persons, representatives from WHO and Red Cross, as well as the Primary Health Care Coordinator for Saki West and the LGA DSNO, embarked on a comprehensive investigation to the scene of the incidence.

The Commissioner explained that the background information gathered that one of the apprentices at the hospital, who had returned from Iwajowa local government area of the state, and fell ill about two weeks before the incident, was suspected to have brought the infection.

The commissioner said the apprentice likely transmitted the disease to her co-workers and the hospital owner.

“Three of the deceased exhibited typical symptoms of Lassa fever, including craniofacial bleeding, while the hospital owner showed fatigue and self-medicated with antimalarial and antibiotics.

The commissioner added that the unnamed late owner of the hospital condition’s only prompted hospital admission when his self-treatment failed.

“Extensive contact tracing was conducted, with particular focus on high-risk contacts who had been involved in the bathing and burial of the deceased.

“The hospital where all the deceased were associated was closed down for decontamination.

“The hospital that admitted the deceased health facility owner, without being informed of the deaths from an ‘unknown’ illness, was also shut down for decontamination, and the doctor was placed under surveillance.

“Public awareness campaigns were held to educate the community about Lassa fever, its transmission, symptoms, and preventive measures.

“The RRT provided on-the-job training to health workers in the affected areas to reinforce Infection Prevention Control protocols and prevent further spread of the disease,” he said.

The Commissioner added that sample collection was also carried out on a person exhibiting symptoms, pending laboratory confirmation, stressing that the line-listing of contacts was in progress, focusing on individuals at high risk.

He added that advocacy visits were also conducted to the palace of the Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Olabisi Oyeniyi who was represented by his second-in-command, and was briefed on the outbreak and the necessary containment measures.

“Local government authorities within Saki West were equally informed and aligned with the efforts to manage the situation”, he said.

Dr. Ajetunmobi added that investigation also revealed that the outbreak initially involved Saki West LGA but had now extended to Iwajowa and Kajola LGAs while the DSNOs in the respective local governments have been instructed to begin preliminary containment efforts while awaiting the full deployment of the State RRT.

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