8 Year Old Girl Tests Positive For Lassa Fever …In Gombe

An eight-year-old girl from Lamban village of Yamaltu/Debalocal government area of Gombe State has tested positive to Lassa fever, the state Director of Public Health, Dr. Joshua Abubakar, said yesterday. Abubakar told newsmen in Gombe that the girl’s sample was sent to a laboratory in Lagos where it was confirmed, adding that she is being kept in an isolated ward in a hospital and is responding to treatment.

 He said the state’s rapid response team was trying to trace the route of the sickness through the girl’s family, adding that there were seven suspected cases out of which five tested negative. The director advised members of the public to ensure healthy environment and get rid of rats.