The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA said it has tracked two cases of Lassa Fever and consequently heightened surveillance in order to ward off a widespread outbreak.
Mandate Secretary, Health and Environmental Services Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe disclosed this at a news conference Monday in Abuja.
Noting that there was no fatality, she said her office had received an alert of Lassa Fever from a clinician in Bwari General Hospital.
According to her, investigations were immediately initiated, which revealed the cases, children of 14 months and 13 years old respectively, who had contacts with their mother in Bauchi and became high risk.
She said after their mother died of Lassa Fever in Bauchi, their father brought them back to Abuja, where the 14 months tested positive, while the 13 years old was negative.
Fasawe also revealed that the second positive case was reported by clinicians at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, and is currently receiving care.
She advised residents to desist from exposing their foods to the reach of rats, and to also cultivate the habit of reporting strange symptoms to the nearest health centres.
Fasawe said; "On the 15th January, 2024, the FCT Public Health Department received an alert of Lassa Fever from a Clinician in Bwari General Hospital hospital. A rapid response team was mobilized to investigate the cases.
"Investigations revealed that they were high risk contacts of their mother. Samples were collected and sent to the National Reference Laboratory for confirmation.
"The mother was a confirmed case, diagnosed at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi. Following her demise, the father travelled on the 9th January, 2024 to Bauchi to bring back the children who had accompanied their mother to Bauchi and returned to the FCT on the 12th January, 2024.
"The Public Health Department investigated them and daily monitored them for symptoms. The results came back positive for the 14-month old and negative for the 13-year old".
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