The centre’s Head of Clinical Services, Dr Joseph Kuni, announced this in an interview with journalists in Jalingo on Thursday.
According to Kuni, from January to February 105 samples were sent out for testing, and 60 of them came out positive for Lassa Fever, 39 came out negative, while the remaining results of the samples are being awaited.
“We cannot perform the test due to the fire outbreak that affected the modular laboratory last year, therefore we either send the samples to Bauchi or Abuja.
“The number of cases this year is alarming compared to previous years. From January to February this year, we recorded 19 deaths from the Lassa Fever Isolation Centre, and most of these cases are from the central part of the state,” he said.
When contacted, the state Commissioner for Health, Gbangsheya Buma, confirmed the outbreak of the disease, adding that eight out of nine suspected cases that were tested last week Friday also came out positive.
Buma noted that the Ministry of Health was closely monitoring the situation and working in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Federal Medical Centre Jalingo to contain the spread of the disease.
“It is not surprising because this is the season and we have made preparations, but the outbreak has been overwhelming.
“I just received support from NCDC, they have sent some people here to provide technical support with the aim of stopping the spread of the disease,” he said.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus.
The natural reservoir for the virus is the Mastomys natalensis rodent, commonly known as the multimammate rat or the African rat. Other rodents can also be carriers of the virus.
