Lassa Fever has killed at least 80 persons in Ondo State between January and August 2020, the state government has said.
Acting Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Jibayo Adeyeye, made the disclosure while hosting the National Centre for Disease Control team at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital in Ondo town.
He said less than two per cent of COVID-19 patients in the state died while 27 per cent of those infected with Lassa Fever lost their lives.
He said, “The statistics at our disposal show that from January to date, 31 deaths have been ascribed to COVID-19 in Ondo State and at this same period, we found about 80 deaths from Lassa Fever.
“Of the people that were positive of COVID-19, less than two per cent of them died, but 27 per cent of those that were positive of Lassa Fever died. You can now imagine which one is more of a problem.
“We are not saying COVID-19 is not a problem, it is a problem but we cannot say because COVID-19 is a problem we neglect other problems peculiar to us as a state.”
Adeyeye further added that the government had given directive that a laboratory be put in place at the university teaching hospital to effectively combat any infectious disease in the state.
