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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Nigeria : Lassa fever claims 19 lives in Nigeria

Via Xinhua :

" LAGOS, May 19 : Health authorities in northern Nigeria 's Kebbi State have reported that Lassa fever killed 19 people in three local government areas of the state.

An epidemiologist with the state government Shehu Mohammed disclosed this to reporters in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital on Tuesday.

Samples of blood from some of the deceased were tested at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, the epidemiologist said.

According to Mohammed, the disease was uncovered after tests were conducted at the hospital.

"What we thought was high fever turned out to be Lassa fever after the tests," the News Agency of Nigeria quoted him as saying.

Mohammed said the World Health Organization (WHO) and experts from South Africa and Holland were assisting the state to curtail the disease."

More on Lassa Fever from WHO.

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