Nigerian Soldier Dies Of Lassa Fever In Jos

Some soldiers at the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos, Plateau have been left in a state of fear after their colleague died of Lassa fever.

Major General Nuhu Angbazo, General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Nigeria Army Rukuba, has directed that Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos, Plateau, be fumigated, The Nation has reported.

The directive was given following the death of a non-commissioned senior officer in the cantonment from Lassa fever.

The Division made the disclosure on Thursday in a statement by Maj. Ikechukwu Eze, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations.

Eze said that while the Division commenced investigations to unravel all circumstances that led to the soldier’s death, it also took other measures to forestall the spread of the disease in the cantonment.

“Contact tracing and monitoring for both primary and secondary contacts have commenced.

“This is being done in collaboration with representatives of World Health Organization, medical personnel of Bingham University Teaching Hospital and 3 Division Medical Services and Hospital.

“Sensitization for residents of Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, the host community and the general public has also commenced,” he added.

The acting deputy director explained that the deceased was admitted and being managed for resistant malaria at the 3 Div Hospital after returning from Kogi State where he went for his father’s burial, but with no significant improvement.

This, he said, resulted in the patient being referred to Bingham University Teaching Hospital Jos for further management.

He said that the soldier died on January 15, 2019, four days after his case was reported.

“Available medical information confirmed that the soldier may have died of Lassa Fever,” he said.