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An ecologist extracts a sample of blood from a Mastomys Natalensis rodent in the village of Jormu in southeastern Sierra Leone February 8, 2011. Lassa fever, named after the Nigerian town where it was first identified in 1969, is among a U.S. list of "category A" diseases -- deemed to have the potential for major public health impact -- alongside anthrax and botulism. The disease is carried by the Mastomys Natalensis rodent, found across sub-Saharan Africa and often eaten as a source of protein. It infects an estimated 300,000-500,000 people each year, and kills about 5,000. Picture taken February 8, 2011. To match Reuters-Feature BIOTERROR-AFRICA/ REUTERS/Simon Akam (SIERRA LEONE - Tags: HEALTH SOCIETY ANIMALS) - GM1E72F07HC01
Kano State Ministry of Health says it has not confirmed suspected cases of Lassa fever reported at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital on Tuesday.
Alhaji Ismail Gwammaja, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ministry, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it was true that the ministry received the information about the suspected cases.
He said that although the cases were reported at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, the state government had jurisdiction to disclose the facts on the issue.
According to him, blood samples of the affected persons have been sent to Lagos for diagnosis and will be readily available by Wednesday afternoon.
“We are surely going to hold a news conference on reception of the results tomorrow in order to keep the public informed’’.
It was reported by an online media on Tuesday morning that some medical doctors had lost their lives due to suspected cases of Lassa fever which had not been confirmed by the hospital yet.
It was said that a pregnant woman from Bauchi State, who was a carrier of the disease, underwent a caesarean session at the hospital about 20 days ago.
The media report also said that two medical doctors from the hospital died of the suspected disease at the intensive care unit of the hospital.
The Assistant Director Information of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Hajiya Hauwa Muhammed also said they were awaiting official confirmation and details of the reported disease as well as deaths from the hospital management.
