Lassa Fever: Gov. Umahi orders closure of hospital

The immediate closure of St. Vincent Hospital at Igbagu in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi, has been ordered by Governor Dave Umahi over the outbreak of Lassa Fever at the hospital.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Francis Nwaze.

The staff and patients of the hospital, including their family members, have also been ordered to go for a comprehensive medical check up at the Virology Centre at Abakaliki.

Urging the public not to panic over the development, Umahi stated that the outbreak would be curbed by the Ministry of Health in the state.

The statement read in part: “Gov. Dave Umahi has directed that the Ministry of Health under the watch of Dr Daniel Umezurike, Commissioner for Health, in conjunction with the staff of Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, to immediately address all issues relating to the Lassa fever outbreak.

“The engagement should include a comprehensive examination of all suspects and the clean-up of St. Vincent Hospital.

“It should also include the placement of precautionary announcements in all media houses in the state on the preventive measures of Lassa fever.’

“The governor also directed that progress reports on the above directives should be reaching him every two hours.”