A confirmed case of Lassa fever has been recorded at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), sparking swift emergency response efforts by health authorities in Kano State.
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Salisu Inuwa, spokesperson for the hospital’s Infection Prevention and Control Unit, disclosed that two suspected cases were initially identified. One of them, who could not be tested before passing away, was from Garun Mallam Local Government Area. The second patient, who walked into the facility on April 5, tested positive for the virus.
In response, AKTH activated its emergency protocol, screening individuals who may have had close contact with the confirmed case. While some hospital staff reported symptoms resembling malaria, Inuwa confirmed that they remain stable and are being closely monitored without interruption to their routine duties.
The Kano State Ministry of Health has also been alerted. A contact-tracing team has since been deployed to Garun Mallam to track and monitor individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.
Inuwa assured the public that the situation is under control and advised residents to stay calm and vigilant, as efforts to contain the spread of the virus continue.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the index case may have contracted the virus during a recent trip to Bauchi State, where the patient had cared for a sick mother who later died.
