Nurses and Patients Flee as Lassa Fever Kills Two at Federal Medical Centre

Tension over Lassa fever outbreak has continued to unsettled patients at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Asaba, Delta State, following the death of two patients within four days. While many of the patients and nurses have fled the hospital for fear of the unknown, no fewer than over 55 persons have been reportedly killed across the country in the last few weeks of its outbreak.

Health workers at FMC struggle to remove bodies of the two patients who died of Lassa Fever.

The two victims, hospital sources said died two days interval after being managed for a week plus but the State Health Commissioner, Dr. Nicholas Azinge who refused to confirm the incident, said “I know some persons have died, I cannot speak further on that because the Federal Ministry of Health is already doing something to sensitize the people and we in Delta State are also sensitising our people”.

With twenty-two patients quarantined at present at the hospital, further investigation revealed that there are palpable tension and fear of the unknown among the health workers, especially the doctors who feared that the disease may be something else.

A Doctor who did not want his name in the print, said "We too we are afraid of the present situation with over twenty two persons already quarantined and so far three have died, so the situation expresses deep fears of the unknown, but by the grace of God, we shall overcome the situation."