Shocker! Reason behind mysterious deaths in Benue community revealed

SUSPECTED LASSA FEVER OUTBREAK IN OJU AND OBI LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BENUE STATE.
News has been going round of a strange infection in some parts of Oju and Obi local government of which some think it’s LASSA FEVER.

I decided to visit the scene today (29th/01/2020) with a certified lab scientist Joelmercy Alla to see if we could rule out some common infections and here are my findings.
– communities affected include; Oye Obi, Ubele, Ikumaye, Obusa but more prevalent at Oye Obi.

– Some villagers believe that one Ogbono tree that usually talk yearly and was burnt by Bush fire is the cause of the strange illness
– at list six persons had died from the infection in the space of 2 weeks
– list of about 180 persons having similar symptoms was sent to Obi local government today (eye witness)
– a village clinic we visited had hospitalized 16 patients with similar condition
– the clinic was so congested that they have to use mats to hospitalise patients
– they have been no attempt to quarantine or isolate the patients though the cause of the infection is still a misery
The patients present with the following symptoms; FEVER which is intermetent in some patients, VOMITING, DIARRHOEA, ABDOMINAL PAIN, WEAKNESS, DIFFICULTY TALKING, JAUNDICE (yellowish colouration of the eyes)
– we collected blood and stool samples from 4 patients and screened for typhoid, herpatitis B, herpatitis C, malaria, stool microscopy, stool culture (SEE RESULTS IN THE PICTURES)
– All 4 patients had very low PCV
– All tested negative for Herpatitis B
– 1 tested positive for Herpatitis C
– All tested negative for malaria
– All but 1 had no parasite in their stool
– all had moderate significant titre for Widal
– stool culture is yet to be out. This post would be updated once this result is out
MY CONCERN
-The results of the screening is not pointing to the common infections in this area
– Whatever it is, is destroying their RBCs very fast as shown in the PCV and jaundice
– this people do not have access to any good medical facility
– one of the persons I sampled has lost his sister to the same infection and is at home waiting for his fate
– more persons may still die
The infection is spreading very fast
– I noticed a lot of politics in handling the situation
We can’t just conclude here that it’s LASSA FEVER. More investigation need to be done.
I and and my friend Joelmercy Alla have done the little in our disposal. We want to pass this information to any concerned citizen who may be willing to assist or share until it gets to agencies that could assist these communities and save our lives all.
God bless!
Ode Choir Idehi (DVM), 07051179720
Joelmercy Alla