Enugu – The Director of Public Health in Enugu State, Dr Okechukwu Ossai, has debunked a report that Lassa fever had been diagnosed in the state.
Ossai told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday that the state had not recorded any case of the fever.
He said, however, that the state ministry of health had kept its surveillance officers on the alert for more than a month.
“I can tell you without fear or favour that there is no recorded case of Lassa fever or any Lassa fever patient in any health facility in the state.
“I don’t know where they got the information from and what purpose and intent the people peddling it stand to achieve.
“So, we don’t have Lassa fever even as we have continued to carry out health surveillance throughout the state,’’ he said.
He called on the people of the state not to panic, saying that there was no cause for alarm.
His reaction followed an earlier radio report that Enugu was one of the 17 states where the fever had been reported. (NAN)