Ondo: Lassa fever causing more deaths than coronavirus

The acting Commissioner for Health in Ondo, Dr Jibayo Adeyeye has disclosed that no fewer than 111 persons had been killed by the novel coronavirus and Lassa fever in the state in the last eight months.

Mr. Adeyeye made this statement while hosting a team from the National Centre for Disease Control during the inspection of the ongoing molecular biology laboratory and the new isolation centre at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo town, Punch reports.

The NCDC team was led by an officer from the Surveillance Department, Mrs Eunice Akano, and was conducted round the project sites by the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi.

According to Adeyeye, Lassa fever is more devastating than COVID-19 in the state, but many people are not aware of this fact, said Punch.

“Lassa fever is a bigger problem, more than COVID-19 in our state. The statistics at our disposal show that from January till date, 31 deaths have been ascribed to COVID-19 in Ondo State. At this same period, we found about 80 deaths from Lassa fever,” he stated.

Speaking on the projects, Fatusi explained that the laboratory was going to take care of biological issues that the state might be facing, noting that isolation centres would be built in each of the senatorial districts of the state.