Health
Lassa fever: 3 more test positive at LUTH, 150 under watch
LAGOS—Three persons under surveillance for Lassa fever at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, have tested positive to the disease.
This came as Lagos State Government, yesterday, urged Lagosians not to panic, saying the epidemic was near containment in the state. Also, 150 people exposed to the cases are now under surveillance.
Meanwhile, as part of efforts to contain the spread of the contagious disease, the Lagos State Government has taken over the burial of the corpse of the second index case at LUTH. Disclosing these and other developments in a joint press conference of LUTH and Lagos State Ministry of Health, the Chief Medical Director, Prof Chris Bode, explained that the current outbreak was being effectively traced in the field, adding that all persons currently exposed to the index cases were being effectively treated.
“The outbreak is under control. We have enough drugs and we have received enough assistance from partners. Let us please douse the panic created by unguarded statements and if anyone needs to make enquiries, we have already provided hotlines for this,’’ he said. Bode, who was optimistic that the outbreak would be defeated, explained that corpses of the deceased who came from neighbouring states, had been professionally managed.
He added that each of the cases had been managed in other facilities before they were referred to LUTH. He said the infected resident doctor and others that tested positive to the Lassa virus were responding to treatment. “She (the doctor) is in good state of health. Once Lassa fever is detected early and treatment initiated, there is every cause to be optimistic of recovery of the patient. ‘’We have four beds in the isolation unit which is completely self-contained and have rooms for nurses and doctors, where they can change, and they have their own toilets and bathrooms.
“It has regular supply of electricity and water, fully air conditioned and we follow international standard procedure in attending to the patients,’’ he said. While disclosing that the hospital has made necessary arrangement for additional spaces for any likely cases from within or outside the hospital, he explained that ‘workers and other people who have been exposed to the cases have been profiled.
“All those under surveillance have been given thermometers to check their temperature in case of any unusual rise in body temperature. The LUTH workers, who came in contact directly with the first patient, were close to 100 and they were swiftly informed and each of them is still being followed up for any early signs of Lassa fever. “Of the 100, three persons, who developed symptoms tested positive and have been on admission and receiving treatment in our Isolation Ward here in LUTH.” He urged all hospitals across the state to maintain high index of suspicion and contact LUTH on 08058019466, 08058744780, 07035521015 and 08023299445.
No cause for alarm — LASG Speaking, the Director of Disease Control, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Eniola Erinosho, who called for caution to avoid unnecessary panic over the outbreak, said the state was near containing the outbreak. According to him, the Lagos State Ministry of Health had directed its Epidemiology Unit to move into LUTH immediately it was notified about the development on August 3, 2017 in order to prevent further spread of the disease. “We are on top of the situation and there should be no panic, and again the index case mentioned was referred from Divine Grace Hospital Imota, Ikorodu area of Lagos.
We have been to Imota and have taken charge of the situation, but none of them have actually come down with the fever. “We have about 22 people there. Today is 14 days of monitoring and we hope in the next seven days, they will be discharged from monitoring list. At present, we have two cases at the Mainland Hospital but they are under control,’’ he said. “It is only when we have immediate contact that we restrict their movement. You can’t pass the virus until you show signs and symptoms.
But when they present with high temperature we move them to isolation wards.” Erinosho disclosed further that already, the state government was taking over the 2nd corpse which was still in LUTH’s possession, since the index case had been moved to Ilesha in order to conduct the burial according to international standards. “In case of death, we use body bags and we seal the coffin and the relatives will not see the body.
From there, we have special unit in the Ministry called ‘State Environmental Monitoring Unit’ that carries out the procedure.” LUTH-ARD, NMA react Reacting to the development, President, Association of Resident Doctors, LUTH-ARD, Dr Adebayo Sekunmade, who confirmed that one of their members had tested positive to the disease, tasked management of the hospital to provide enough Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, necessary for the management of the situation. “Some resident doctors volunteered to treat those 100 people under surveillance but we want the management to handle the situation more carefully.
The volunteer resident doctors and nurses should not come to the general wards or move around the premises. “They should be appropriately monitored and also protected so as to prevent further casualties,” he noted. Reacting to the development in a telephone chat with Vanguard, Lagos State Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr Olumuyiwa Odusote, who described the situation as unfortunate, urged the federal and state governments to scale up level of emergency preparedness in order to respond swiftly in situations of outbreak. He called on the government to procure Personal Protection Equipment, PPE, in all hospitals across the country.
“When we observe this international standard of responding to situations like this, it will reduce the chances of medical doctors and other health workers falling victim.” Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga, in a statement issued by the LSMOH confirmed that laboratory results of the two suspected cases at the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, were negative.
Onanuga said the two patients were referred from the General Hospital, Lagos and a private hospital in Imota, Ikorodu. He called on residents to be calm and not panic, assuring them that Federal Government in active collaboration with the State Government is doing everything possible to control the spread of the Lassa Fever in Lagos State. 4 quarantined in Yobe hospital Four people are being quarantined for clinical analysis in Yobe over suspected case of Lassa fever, Dr Bello Kawuwa, the state Commissioner for Health said, yesterday.
Kawuwa told newsmen in Damaturu that seven people were initially held, but three had been discharged after clinical analysis. The commissioner said though, earlier results did not indicate that the four people have Lassa fever, a second laboratory test would be carried out on them.
United States President Donald Trump has been declared medically fit to continue in office, with his physician describing him as being in “excellent health” while recommending weight loss and increased physical activity weeks before his 80th birthday.
The White House disclosed on Friday that Trump underwent his annual medical and dental examination on Tuesday at Walter Reed Military Hospital near Washington, amid growing scrutiny over his health and fitness for office.
In a three-page medical memo released by the White House, Trump’s physician, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, said the president demonstrated strong overall physical and mental capacity.
“President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function,” Barbabella stated, adding that the president was “fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”
However, the physician advised Trump to adopt healthier lifestyle measures, including dietary adjustments, increased physical activity, continued weight loss and low-dose aspirin therapy for cardiovascular prevention.
According to the report, Trump, who will turn 80 on June 14, stands at 6ft 3in tall and weighs 238 pounds (108 kilograms), about 14 pounds more than he weighed during his last full annual medical check-up in April last year.
Despite concerns surrounding his age, the report noted that Trump’s cardiac health reflected an estimated age roughly 14 years younger than his chronological age.
The president also reportedly scored a perfect “30 out of 30” in a cognitive assessment, a result Trump has repeatedly cited in public while contrasting himself with his Democratic predecessor, former President Joe Biden.
The medical report further addressed concerns over bruising frequently seen on Trump’s right hand, attributing it to “minor soft tissue irritation” caused by repeated handshaking and aspirin use.
The memo also referenced scarring on Trump’s right ear linked to the assassination attempt against him during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024, when a gunman opened fire, killing a supporter and slightly wounding the president.
Trump’s latest health evaluation comes amid public concerns after he was occasionally seen appearing drowsy during White House meetings and events. He had also previously been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that affects blood circulation in the veins and can lead to swelling in the legs.
Reacting shortly after Tuesday’s examination, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the medical exercise had gone “PERFECTLY,” while the White House later shared his photograph online with the caption, “PERFECT BILL OF HEALTH!”
The release of the report also sparked debate in the United States after the White House initially delayed making the medical details public, breaking with the traditional practice of releasing presidential health summaries shortly after such examinations.
Trump has long faced criticism over transparency regarding his health records, with questions also raised over the scheduling and description of his medical evaluations since returning to office.
The Oyo State Government has confirmed a Lassa fever case at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where a 44-year-old woman died, prompting the activation of emergency response measures and immediate contact tracing to contain the disease.
The state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying, “The patient died on April 11, 2026, while receiving treatment, while laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever was received on April 13.”
She added that the Ministry of Health had swiftly activated its emergency response system, including the establishment of an Incident Management System to coordinate response activities across the state.
According to her, “All identified contacts of the deceased are being closely monitored, while necessary measures have been taken to ensure a safe and dignified burial in line with public health protocols.”
Ajetunmobi urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding, chest pain or difficulty breathing.
She stressed, “Early presentation at health facilities significantly improves the chances of survival.”
The commissioner explained that Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by urine or faeces of infected rodents.
“It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids, especially in healthcare settings where infection prevention measures are not strictly observed,” she said.
She advised residents to maintain strict environmental hygiene, including proper waste disposal, safe storage of food in rodent-proof containers and avoiding drying food items on bare ground or roadsides.
Ajetunmobi also urged households to seal holes and entry points to prevent rodent access, while emphasising regular handwashing and good personal hygiene.
Residents, she said, should report suspected cases through designated emergency lines, while health workers must strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, the commissioner said surveillance had been intensified across the state, with all health facilities placed on alert.
“There is no cause for panic. The situation is under control, and Lassa fever is both preventable and treatable when detected early,” she assured.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, has pledged to support the breast cancer awareness programme of the ABC Foundation founded by former Oyo First Lady, Dr. Florence Ajimobi.
Oseni, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), made the commitment on Thursday in Ibadan at the flag-off of Pink Month 2025, an initiative of the foundation.
Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker described the campaign as a “lifesaving mission” given the rising burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, with over 28,000 new cases and thousands of deaths reported annually.
The APC chieftain said the free screening of 1,000 women planned by the foundation was timely, stressing that early detection remained the strongest weapon in the fight against cancer.
Hon. Aderemi Oseni exchanging pleasantries with former Oyo State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, at the event.
“Health is life. Only this June, I moved a motion at the National Assembly which led to the Federal Government subsidising dialysis treatment nationwide. Today, dialysis is either free or heavily discounted in federal health facilities,” Oseni said.
He listed his personal interventions to include funding hospital bills of indigent patients, construction of hospitals in Ido and Ibarapa East, establishment of primary health centres, and organisation of medical outreaches. He also disclosed plans to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas.
Commending Mrs. Ajimobi for sustaining her late husband’s legacy through humanitarian service, Oseni assured of partnership with the foundation, saying women’s wellbeing and empowerment remained central to his vision for Oyo State.
In her remarks, Mrs. Ajimobi said the foundation had offered medical care to over 85,000 patients and conducted more than 100,000 investigations since its inception. She added that the campaign was not just corporate social responsibility but “a moral duty and sacred trust.”
The former first lady, who lost her daughter Abisola to breast cancer earlier this year, said the experience had strengthened her resolve to save other families from such tragedy. She appealed to women to take advantage of the free screening and called on partners and development agencies to support the fight.
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