Delta State has recorded a fresh case of Lassa Fever in Asaba, the state capital, as the disease claimed the life of a medical doctor.

The doctor died after he was rushed to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, in Nnewi, Anambra State.

The State’s Commissioner for Health, Nicholas Azinge, confirmed the incident, saying that the doctor’s wife and 32 others he had contact with had been quarantined.

Azinge said the situation has been brought under control, as officials of the Emergency Response Team of the Ministry of Health, Asaba, headed by Ejiro, swung into action immediately, while the governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has been briefed on the development.

“We are liaising with the Commissioner for Health in Anambra State and NAUTH, Nnewi, to ensure that all those who had contact with the late doctor were quarantined depending on the severity, and others placed on surveillance.

“The wife of the doctor was rushed to Otibokhae Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, when we suspected that she was also sick, but it is just malaria and she has been treated. We have also put the children of the doctor under surveillance.”

“Right now in the state, none of those quarantined has shown any symptom of Lassa Fever and our emergency response team is monitoring closely.”

It was also gathered that the Ministry of Health, Asaba, has quarantined the Peugeot Expert Ambulance from the General Hospital, Ibusa, Delta State, used to rush the doctor to Nnewi, as well as the driver.

Reports said the deceased doctor’s colleagues were treating him for malaria in Asaba, but it was at the teaching hospital in Nnewi that tests showed he had Lassa Fever by which time it was too late.

According to a report by Vanguard, “A source said the deceased, transferred recently to the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, from one of the northern states, had not officially resumed because workers were on strike at the hospital.

“Had he resumed at FMC, Asaba, I can tell you that the situation could have been more calamitous,” the source added.