Lassa fever kills 35, infects 76

Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole,

The Federal Government has put the number of reported cases of Lassa Fever outbreak in eight states at 76 with 35 deaths already recorded and 14 cases confirmed by laboratories.

The government, which said measures had been put in place to curtail further spread and reduce mortality among those affected, however, ruled out placing travel restrictions from and to areas currently affected.

 

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, who stated this in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Abuja, in response to the outbreak of Lassa Fever in the country, added that “the World Health Organisation is being notified of the cases confirmed.”

According to him, Nigeria has been experiencing Lassa fever outbreak in the past six weeks in Bauchi, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Edo and Oyo states.

“The Nigerian government will continue to enhance its surveillance and social health education, information   and   communication   activities to prevent the disease   from spreading further in Nigeria and I wish to call for the support and understanding of Nigerians, “ the minister said.

He added, “The total number of suspected cases so far reported is 76 with 35 deaths, and a Case Fatality Rate of 46 per cent. Our laboratories have confirmed 14 cases, indicative of a new episode of Lassa fever outbreak.”

The first case of the current outbreak was reported from Bauchi State in November 2015, followed by cases reported by Kano State and subsequently the other six states.

Adewole added that in response to the reported outbreak, the Federal Government had taken some drastic measures to curtail further spread and reduce mortality.

The measures, he said, included immediate release of adequate quantities of ribavirin, the specific antiviral drug for Lassa Fever to all the affected states for prompt and adequate treatment of cases; and deployment of rapid response teams from the Federal Health Ministry to all the affected states to assist in investigating and verifying the cases and tracing of contacts.

The minister also said clinicians and relevant healthcare workers had been sensitised and mobilised in areas of patient management and care in the affected states, while “affected states have been advised to intensify awareness creation on the signs and symptoms and general hygiene.”

“Furthermore, it is important to note that Nigeria has the capability to diagnose Lassa Fever and all the cases reported so far were confirmed by our laboratories. However, because the symptoms of Lassa Fever are so varied and non-specific, clinical diagnosis is often difficult, especially early in the course of the disease,” Adewole stressed.

The minister added that in view of the steps so far taken, he had directed that all health facilities in the country should emphasise routine infection prevention and control measures and ensure all patients were treated free.

He said, “Family members and healthcare workers are advised to always be careful to avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons. No travel restrictions will be imposed from and to areas currently affected.

“Healthcare workers seeing a patient suspected to have Lassa Fever should immediately contact the epidemiologist in the State Ministry of Health or call the Federal Ministry of Health using the following numbers: 08093810105,08163215251, 08031571667 and 08135050005.

While expressing gratitude to the WHO and other partners for their support so far, Adewole said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control “is already coordinating all our response activities and reporting to me on a daily basis.”

Lassa Fever is an acute febrile illness with bleeding and death in severe cases, caused by the Lassa Fever virus with an incubation period of six to 21 days.

About 80 per cent of human infections are asymptomatic, the remaining cases have severe multi-system disease, where the virus   affects   several   organs in the   body, such as the   liver, spleen and kidneys.
The onset of the disease is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, and malaise followed by headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting,   diarrhoea, cough, and   bleeding   from   mouth,   nose,   vagina   or gastro-intestinal tract, and low blood pressure.

The reservoir or host of the Lassa virus is the “multi-mammate rat” called Mastomys natalensis which has many breasts and lives in the bush and peri-residential areas.

External reserves lose $112m in five days

The nation’s foreign reserves have fallen by $112m in five days to $28.960bn; the latest figures obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria have shown.

The loss, recorded between December 31 and January 6, was the biggest in Nigeria’s reserves since the CBN implemented the use of Bank Verification Number in the forex trading.

In just one day (January 4 – January 5), the data showed that the nation lost $20m, dropping from $28.978m to $28.958m.

The external reserves declined by 15.79 per cent year-on-year to about $29.070bn on December 31, 2015, compared to $34.52bn a year ago, according to data from the CBN.

The interbank foreign exchange market was closed by the CBN on December 21, 2015 to conserve forex for an opening on January 4, 2016, leaving the parallel market as the only source of forex through the festive period.

The CBN, however, said it was planning to implement a new guideline for forex trading on the parallel market to curb speculation and forex scarcity.

There have been several calls for flexibility in the foreign exchange policies of the CBN as businesses continue to take a toll from the policies.

The Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, had in a meeting with Buhari on Tuesday stressed the need for flexibility with monetary policies in order not to deplete the reserves.

She said, “We believe that with very clear primary ambition to support the poorer people of Nigeria, there could be added flexibility in the monetary policy, particularly if as we think the price of oil is likely to be low for longer (period).

“The occurrences should not deplete the reserves of the country, simply because of being seemingly rigid. I’m not suggesting that rigidity be totally removed, but some form of flexibility would help.”

Lagarde also said, “A nation’s foreign reserves are usually an indication of the health of its international trade, with import-dependent countries often disadvantaged in their current account balance as a result of forex expenditure outstripping income.”

$2.1bn arms cash: I never received N1.7bn from Dasuki- Fani-Kayode

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has denied media reports alleging that he received N1.7billion of the controversial arms deal fund from the office of the ex-National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (reted).

Fani-Kayode, who was Director of Media and Publicity, Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation, during the last Presidential election which Jonathan lost to President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement said he read with amusement the allegation made in the media report.

He said: “I read with amusement the allegation that was made in the media report that I was given 1.7 billion naira cash by President Goodluck Jonathan. This is false. A few hours later they changed their story and said that I received 1.7 billion naira from the office of the former NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki. This is also false.

“I have never received one kobo from President Jonathan himself, Colonel Dasuki or any other member of President Jonathan’s government. I have not ever been in receipt of any public funds and neither was I the beneficiary of any payments in cash, transfer, cheque or otherwise from any government official during the tenure of President Jonathan.

“As Director of Media and Publicity of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign organisation I received money on behalf of the Directorate of Media and Publicity which I headed from private individuals and companies during the election campaigns but these were not public funds but rather private contributions specifically for the Presidential and other campaigns.

“Such moneys were transferred into my account by the Director of Finance of the Presidential Campaign Organisation and that account was specifically set up for the purpose of running the publicity and media aspect of the campaign for the whole country and my Directorate.

“These private individuals and companies paid their contributions into a designated account which was provided and controlled by the Director of Finance and from there she transferred it to the accounts of the various Directors and various individuals that were running for public office that the PCO supported.

“The money that was sent to me for my Directorate by the Director of Finance was used in a lawful and responsible manner and by the time the campaigns were over my Directorate had paid all of its bills for services rendered and was not owing any media house or anyone else one kobo.

“The Presidential candidate of our party President Goodluck Jonathan, the D-G of the PCO, the Auditor of the PCO, the Advisor to the PCO and the Director of Finance of the PCO all received reports and saw the results of the efforts of my Directorate. Not only were they satisfied with our efforts but they also commended us.

“Those private individuals and companies that were kind enough to support and fund President Jonathans presidential campaign with their hard earned money were perfectly within their rights to do so and they were more than happy with our efforts as well.

“They also commended us. Even though we ended up losing the election we fought a very virile, strong, visible, historic and aggressive campaign and the Nigerian people can attest to this. The encounter with the APC was an epic one and it was probably the most active and gruelling electoral battle in the history of our country.

“Not one kobo of public funds was spent by or given to my Directorate during the campaign and as far as I am aware not one kobo of public funds was spent by or given to the PCO. Presidential campaigns all over the world cost huge amounts of money and Nigeria is no different.

“This is especially so when it comes to publicity and media. My Directorate was difficult to run and our work was capital intensive. We did not use marshmallows, pebbles, and grass to pay for all the services rendered to us and all the television and newspaper adverts were fully paid for with money.

“Nothing was done or given to us free of charge by anyone. This should not be a surprise to anyone as the APC and President Buhari’s campaign organisation did the same.

“I opened an account specifically for the funds that were used to run my Directorate and fund all our activities in order to ensure accountability and transparency.

“We also audited our accounts regularly and insisted on the highest level of professionalism from all those that worked for or with us.

“Since when such matters have become a crime or subjects of criminal investigations I don’t know. If it was a crime to speak up for Jonathan during the campaign they should just say so.

“If it is a crime to be a member of the PDP and to be in opposition they should just say so. If it is a crime to speak up for and defend President Jonathan and key members of his government after he has left office they should just say so.

“If it is a crime to oppose the Buhari administration and speak up against his gross violations of human rights that they are indulging in and the violation of court orders they should just say so.

“During the 2015 elections the PCO and my Directorate spoke up and campaigned for many PDP members who were running for public office and we funded and worked for them too. That was our job and I am very proud of the PCO and the role we all played despite limited resources.

“I am particularly proud of the efforts of my team at the Directorate and I can assure all those that care to listen and that refuse to be misled by the government propaganda machine that we did nothing wrong. All we did was run an effective campaign and we did so with private funds and not funds from the government.

“I am aware of the attempt by the government and my enemies to discredit me, smear my name and silence me by alleging all manner of wrongdoing but I am not in the least bit perturbed. As always my innocence will fight for me and my God will never forsake me.

“I know that this government is capable of doing anything, of inducing anyone to say anything and that they have no sense of decency, justice or fair play. They are prepared to charge anyone just for breathing the air if needs be and they can attempt to frame up anyone that they believe is a thorn in their flesh.

“I have always known this yet I refuse to run away or to be silenced and I will not be cowered. Though I have been warned and told over and over again by those amongst them who care for my well being that I have been listed down and targeted for persecution I am not in the least bit concerned about their evil plans for me. My life and destiny is in the hands of God and not theirs and He will fight for me and vindicate me.

“As I have always said, the night may be dark but joy comes in the morning. If it was a crime to use moneys that were freely donated by private individuals from lawful and legitimate sources to fund the Presidential and other campaigns let them say so.

“No election campaign anywhere in the world, including that of President Buhari was run with just words, goodwill, grass and pebbles and neither were we given free campaign adverts or air time. All these things were run and paid for with large sums of money.

“This is especially so with publicity and media because that was the lifeblood of the various campaigns. I repeat, there is nothing that we did in the campaign organisation or that my Directorate did that Lai Mohammed, Buhari and the APC did not do in theirs. As a matter of fact they spent far more than we did but I have no idea where they got their money and whether they were private or public funds.

“Most importantly my Directorate and, as far as I am aware, the Jonathan Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation did not receive any public funds from any government official or office to run our campaign. Of this I am absolutely sure and I am very confident because I made a point of asking and insisting that this must be so. These are the facts and I eagerly await my accusers, persecutors and detractors.

“Meanwhile I shall continue to live my life in peace, I shall not be intimidated by the boastful threats of the enemy and I will continue to live my life in the usual law-abiding manner that I have always done.

“It is expedient and necessary for me to speak out now even though the EFCC has not said a word on this matter or even confirmed that there is indeed an investigation going on. This is because the modus operandii of the Commission of late is to leak their intentions to SaharaReporters before they strike and abduct their victims.

“This has happened on a number of occasions and sadly they use such mediums to tell all manner of lies about the case and the accused to the public. By the time they finish they would have convicted their victim in a vicious smear campaign and media trial which is usually plagued and fuelled by lies and falsehood.

“It is for this reason that I have taken this opportunity, whilst I am still at liberty, to tell the Nigerian people the truth and let them have all the facts. I sincerely hope that my statement will help to clarify matters in the eyes of the public regardless of whatever lies that they will soon be inundated with by a desperate, weak and wicked government. I fear them not because my life is in God’s hands. God bless Nigeria,” Fani-Kayode said.

$2.1bn arms cash: Olisa Metuh spends first night in EFCC cell over N1.4bn traced to coy

The ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has landed the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, in the Commission’s cell in Abuja.

Metuh, who was arrested by four operatives of the anti-graft agency from his Abuja home, spent the first night with his interrogators at the headquarters of the EFCC, answering questions on how the sum of N1.4 billion strayed from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser into a company, Destra,  linked to him.

Interestingly, it was the suspect, who first hinted that the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, had given him a job to do and that he successfully completed the said job,  but failed to say what it was and how much he was paid for and when.

The revelation by Metuh, according to EFCC officials, prompted the agency to beam its searchlight on cash payments from the ONSA, leading to the discovery that he was one of the major beneficiaries of slush funds, now a subject of investigation and prosecution by the Federal Government.

It was learnt that out of the $2.1 billion arms funds, N400 million was transferred from ONSA to the company on November 24, 2014 which previously had a balance of N6, 676,576.06 only before the major transfer from the ONSA.

A top source in the EFCC said that Metuh was also receiving a monthly pay of N4 million from ONSA.

A top EFCC source said Metuh was likely to spend the night with them given the weight of financial transactions in ONSA traced to him and his company.

The source said: “We arrested Chief Metuh this morning (yesterday) and as we speak he is still being questioned and it is not likely that he will be released today.

“We want to finish the interrogation of Metuh at once, so that we can decide whether to charge him to court or let him to go,” the source said.

Metuh, has, however slammed his arrest by the EFCC, claiming that he was being persecuted.

“I have not done anything unlawful. Whatever I have done in pursuance of my office, I can defend it anywhere, any time,” he said.(VANGUARD)