Lassa Fever: Panic In Osun teaching hospital as doctor dies vomiting blood

Workers at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State, fled the facility Monday after a resident doctor died of suspected Lassa fever.

Doctors, nurses, medical personnel and patients at the Emergency Unit of the hospital, where the doctor died, hurriedly vacated the unit apparently for fear of being victims of the highly contagious viral disease, a source there said Tuesday.

The source said the resident doctor died after vomiting blood within the hospital premises, sparking panic in the hospital.

A medical doctor in the hospital who preferred anonymity confirmed that the doctor had visited Ekiti State before arriving Ile-Ife on Monday.

But the authorities of OAUTHC have debunked insinuations that the doctor died as a result of Lassa fever disease virus.

The chairman, OAUTHC on Lassa fever, Prof. Adedeji Onayade, confirmed the death of the resident doctor but said the fact that the doctor bled to death could not be taken that he died of the deadly virus.

Mr. Onayade said blood sample of the late doctor had been obtained and sent to the federal government for confirmation.

He said until the result of the blood sample was confirmed positive, it could not be said that the hospital recorded a case of Lassa fever.

Meanwhile, an atmosphere of fear enveloped the entire Obafemi Awolowo University community once the news of the doctor’s death filtered in.

Posted in: Breaking News