By DAUD OLATUNJI

ABEOKUTA – Ogun State Government has refuted insinuations that the state has recorded  cases of   Lassa fever and urged the people in the state not to panic, but take precautionary measures.

At a briefing in Abeokuta, Commissioner for Health, Dr.Olaokun Soyinka said Lassa fever was a rare infection caused by rats leading to unusual bleeding through mouth, nose and urinating blood.

Soyinka, who however stated that no fewer than 397 cases had been recorded in 12 states with 40 deaths, explained that the state government did not want to be caught unawares and had begun precautionary measures and enlightenment about the deadly fever.

According to him, “although, the last reported suspected case of Lassa fever in Ogun state was in 2005;it is expedient that we take proactive measures to strengthen our state  of preparedness to guard against spread of the disease.

In view of the state government’s concern about the danger of Lassa fever in the country, the state Ministry of Health had already taken measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic to our dear state and would embark on sensitization campaigns to educate the people of the danger of the diseases and ways of preventing same.

Because, this is an emerging disease, Ogun State Ministry of Health is alerting the general public to engage in community hygiene to discourage rodents from entering homes.”