Delta State Government has cleared the air on the speculation surrounding the resent strange deaths in the Ika North East Local Government of the State, as yellow fever has been discovered to be the cause,
This clarification was made during a joint press briefing organised by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Mordi Ononye and the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu at the Ministry of Information headquarters, Asaba.
Dr Ononye said that after a thorough investigation and testing carried out by his ministry, initial results indicated that the deaths were caused by a resurgence of Yellow fever virus.
He however stated that a further verification of the cause had been done by sending samples to the Yellow Fever Regional Laboratory in Dakar, capital of Senegal.
Ononye further stated that the disease which was transmitted by the Ades aegypti species of mosquitoes and not person to person by mere body contact.
These mosquitoes, he said were prominent in bushy areas and stagnant water-logged environment.
As to the ways of prevention, the commissioner advised the clearing of bushes, vaccination for nine months to age 44, and avoid sharing of sharp objects.
He also advised prompt seeking of medical attention if any symptom was observed, ranging from fever, and fatigue to yellowish eyes.
The commissioner revealed that plan had been put in place already by the state government to commence a state-wide immunisation against the Yellow fever virus which he said, would kick off latest Monday, November 9, 2020.
on his part, the Director-General of for State Orientation Bureau, Mr. Eugene Uzum said that extensive sensitisation activities would be carried out in the affected areas and the entire state to prevent further spread of the virus.
The Commissioner for Information Mr. Charles Aniagwu, who coordinated the session, thanked members of the press for showing up in spite of the short notice.
