Healthy authorities in Monrovia and Margibi County have announced that two persons including a pregnant woman have reportedly died from Lassa fever, a situation the authorities said has been carefully observed.
Early this year, health authorities announced of the death of at least 21 persons including a health worker who prior to his death worked as a laboratory technician from the disease, declaring an outbreak of the disease in Liberia.
The health authorities also 25 confirmed cases and 92 suspected cases recorded between January 1 and August 25 this year, according to Dr. Francis Kateh, Chief Medical officer of Liberia.
These cases are reported from Nimba (9), Bong (10), Grand Bassa (5) and Grand Kru (1)) while 92 other cases remain suspected cases, the National Public Health Institute said in a release.
On August 24 and 25, NPHIL says its laboratory also confirmed two additional cases of Lassa fever infection in a 46-year old male and a 14-year old female, both residents of Suakoko Town, Bong County.
The case fatality rate among confirmed cases is 36% and males are mostly affected by the disease (56%) of confirmed cases as compared to females, the release disclosed.
“What is more concerning to us is the fact that when health workers, that have the authority and have been trained to identify and take care of others, are being infected then that escalates the process to another level,” Dr. Keteh told journalists during one of the Health Ministry’s press conferences intended to announce the emergency, adding that “Some health workers” have been tested and are undergoing treatment.
Comments are closed.