At the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), two patients treated for Lassa fever have died within few days of admission in the past one week, the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Chris Bode confirmed on Tuesday.

He said in a statement: “Each of these two patients presented very late and died in spite of efforts to salvage them. The first was a 32-year-old pregnant lady with bleeding disorder who died after a stillbirth. Post-mortem examination had been conducted before her Lassa fever status was eventually suspected and confirmed.

“No less than 100 different hospital workers exposed to this index case are currently being monitored.

“A resident doctor from the Department of Anatomic and Molecular Pathology, who took part in the autopsy, was later confirmed with the disease and is currently on admission and responding well to treatment at the Isolation Ward of LUTH.”

Bode visited the Isolation Centre on Tuesday in company of his top management staff and spoke with the doctor and staff to boost morale and assure them of the hospital’s full support.

He enjoined all LUTH workers to maintain a heightened level of alert in the wake of this new outbreak and observe universal precautions in handling all suspected cases of this viral hemorrhagic fever.

Bode advised that in case of any suspected case of Lassa fever, the response team in LUTH should be notified on 08058019466, 08058744780, 07035521015 and 08023299445.