Nationnewslead reports that Reports of “strange deaths” have been received in three more local government areas in Enugu state.
This followed the confirmed cases of Yellow Fever in Igbo Eze North LGA of Enugu State and the concerted efforts to control the situation in the LGA by the Enugu state government, stakeholders and partners.
The latest local council areas reported to have been visited by the “strange deaths” within their communities includes Nsukka, Isi-Uzo and Igbo-Etiti LGAs.
The Enugu State Ministry of Health Rapid Response Team, LGA Rapid Response Teams, International and National Partners have visited these LGAs to investigate the reports and take samples for testing just as was done for the reports at Igboeze North.
According to the commissioner of health, Dr Ikechukwu Obi, the new set of samples from these LGAs have been sent to the National Reference Laboratory at the Federal Capital Territory Abuja for a thorough and complete examination to determine conclusively the reasons for these new set of reports and the results are expected back early this week.
With the total casualties put at 67, the commissioner expressed the government’s heartfelt condolences to all those who have lost loved ones “in these times, and we recommend that all adhere to the Public Health Advisory that:
“Yellow Fever is transmitted through mosquito bites, thus remove mosquito breeding sites around your environment.
“Yellow Fever Vaccination is not for treatment of Yellow Fever, it is for prevention of Yellow Fever.
“If you have been recently vaccinated against Yellow Fever, you do not need to be vaccinated again.
It takes 10 days or more for Yellow fever vaccine to start working after you have received it.”
The commissioner thanked traditional rulers, religious leaders, president generals of town Unions, other stakeholders and the good people of Enugu State who have in so many ways continued to contribute to this expedited response to the Yellow Fever epidemic in Enugu State.