The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has stated
that Lassa fever ravaging some states in the country is more deadly than the Coronavirus
causing global concern since its outbreak in China.
The Director-General of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu,
disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing members of the House of
Representatives Committee on Health Services.
He said about one percent of those affected by Coronavirus
has actually died of the ailment, adding that those who died of the virus have
either been aged people or those with health related issues.
The director-general pointed out that the disease which was discovered in China has
spread to about 23 countries across the world, adding however that there was no
need for travel restriction to and from China.
Ihekweazu insisted that Nigeria is faced with a
more deadly disease in Lassa fever than the incidences of Coronavirus, which he said has far less effect than Lassa fever.
According to him, “So far, about 364 cases of Lassa
fever has been identified across 23 states in the country with 47 death, and
there might be more of such cases as a result of environmental issues in the
country.”
The director-general of the agency said at the
moment there are no vaccine for the control of Lassa fever, but was quick to
add that the Centre is working with some development partners to develop a
vaccine for the fever, adding that the vaccine would soon go into phase one of
its testing stage.
Ihekweazu said the Centre has asked state
governments across the country to develop response centres in their state
capital, adding that the Centre cannot control the spread of Lassa fever with
the current facilities at its disposal.
He said Lassa fever was an endemic disease in the
country, as he explained that as long as Nigerians don’t evacuate their waste
very well, they will always attract rats to their homes which is the cause of Lassa
fever.
The DG of the Centre noted that federal government
has put in place measures to identify cases of the virus, while stressing that
airport authorities and other relevant agencies of the government have
intensify screening, while the Centre has also intensify media advocacy.
He said Nigeria now has the ability to confirm
cases of Coronavirus, but the Centre was over burdened by cases of Lassa fever
with a staff strength of only 250 personnel.
However, Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who was part of the briefing, was not convinced with
the submission that the Coronavirus disease was not as deadly as being demonstrated
in the media.
He asked the Centre director whether they were
prepared to travel to China to attend to Nigerians there since they were
convinced that the Coronavirus was not deadly.
Ihekweazu, however, responded that it was their job,
and if the government decides that they go to China, they will do so, adding
that the Nigerian Ambassador in China has told the government that there was no
Nigerian interested in returning home as a result of the virus outbreak.
The Speaker, however, warned that because of the
existence of Lassa fever in the country, the issue of Coronavirus should not be
downplayed even though it was not as deadly as Lassa fever.
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