BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI
Lagos State government at the weekend, again alerted the public on the need to prevent outbreak of lassa fewer in the state following the outbreak in some parts of the country even as it urged residents to maintain personal and environmental hygiene at all times as part of the precautionary measures to prevent the disease.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris who disclosed this in Lagos over the weekend explained that the advice became necessary as part of the state government's efforts aimed at stemming the possible outbreak of the disease in Lagos.
Idris also urged members of the public to avoid contact with rats, cover their foodstuff and water properly, to cook all their food thoroughly, as well as block all rat hideouts and holes through which the rodents can enter the house.
He also stressed the importance of storing grains and other dried food items in containers with cover, properly disposing of refuse, maintaining adequate sanitation, as well as keeping pets like cats that feed on rats.
The commissioner explained that lassa fever is caused by the lassa virus that is associated with persistent high fever that makes the patient to develop facial swelling, fluid in the chest, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina and the gut, low blood pressure, shock, disorientation, coma and kidney and liver failure.
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