Bayero University Kano, BUK, on Thursday, organized a sensitization lecture to educate members of the university community and the general public on the preventive measures against the spread of Lassa fever in the country.
Recall that following the outbreak of the disease, the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, had confirmed over 258 cases in the country.
During the lecture, the NCDC’s Director, Prof. Isah Abubakar said Lassa fever is a disease transmitted by a particular specie of rats and other forms of rats.
According to him, the disease can easily be transmitted from an infected person especially those that are having signs and symptoms to another unsuspecting person.
The director noted that people who are infected usually have fever that doesn’t respond to treatment and some of them will have abdominal pain, chest pain, weakness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
He added that others will have cough and sore throat which can lead to bleeding.
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Prof Abubakar said that people should not panic unnecessarily but take protective measures, adding that it is controllable as long as all the necessary standard precautions are strictly applied.
The director explained that statistics presented by the NCDC in Nigeria shows about 80% of those who have the virus do not know they have it because they do not exhibit symptoms, it is about 20% that have clinical symptoms.
To take preventive measures, he said, people should intensify personal hygiene and regular washing of hands with running water.
“We must ensure that our environmental sanitation level is high to keep rats away. We can use cats to eat all the rats and then we are free of possible transmission of Lassa fever,” he added.
In his paper presentation, Prof. I. Nashabaru said many cases of Lassa fever are unaccounted due to poor laboratory support and inadequate surveillance systems.
He said from January 1 to December 25, 2019, about 4,897 suspected cases were reported to NCDC from 23 states with 810 confirmed cases.
Vice Chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Yahuza-Bello, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Adamu Idris-Tanko said the university had blazed the trail by organizing the lecture in good time.
He expressed optimism that the University is ready to continue to provide all the necessary support and assistance to address health challenges facing the society.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the lecture was organized by the Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee of Bayero University’s Health Services Department.
