Fifty-five persons are currently under watch in Asaba, the Delta State capital, for coming in contact with the medical doctor who died recently of Lassa fever in neighbouring Anambra State. The initial figure was 32.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, who made the disclosure yesterday in Asaba when he received in audience the Federal Government’s Rapid Response Team on a Technical Assistant Mission to the state over the epidemic, cautioned residents against panic.

He assured that government had put necessary measures in place to contain the disease, adding that the situation was very much in control.

The five-man team, made up of experts from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Nigerian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELPT), is working with the state’s Epidemiologist and the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer to carry out assessment and proffer technical assistance when necessary.

Meanwhile, the government has remitted N100 million as counterpart fund for United Nations Children’s Education Fund’s (UNICEF) water and sanitation programmes in the state.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who dropped the hint in Asaba while playing hosting to the Head, UNICEF Field Office in the South South, Mr. Wilbroad Ngambi, assured that his administration would continue with projects that impact the people.

“As part of our partnership with UNICEF on the water cum sanitation programmes, we have released N100 million as our counterpart fund. Within the next few weeks, we will release another N100 million,” he said.

Ngambi said his organisation UNICEF was poised for continued partnership with the government to protect rights of children, strengthen immunisation, maternal and child healthcare as well as increase access to safe water and sanitation services. (The Guardian)

•Photo shows doctors attending to a Lassa fever patient.