Lassa Fever: GHS monitors relatives of deceased victim

Ninety-two persons are being monitored by the Ghana Health Service for signs of Lassa fever after having physical contact with the victim of the first case of the disease detected in Ghana.

The 92 comprised of health workers of the Tema General Hospital who worked on the patient, his friends, family and others, Dr John Yabani, Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency on Friday.

Dr Yabani indicated that the 92 were identified through the retracing of the victim’s path at Ashaiman, Nmai-Dzor and Tema.

He said they were being monitored for 21 days for symptoms of the disease, early detection and treatment in case any of them had been infected, adding that they were at different days of monitoring depending on when they had the contact with the patient.

He gave the assurance that all those being monitored were currently healthy and have no symptoms of the disease and appealed to the public to immediately report to any health institution when they have a fever of 37.5 degrees Celsius, vomiting of blood, among others for appropriate tests and care.

The victim who was admitted at the Tema General Hospital on February 23 died on admission on February 28.