In a suspected outbreak of acute Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) at the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department of 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna, three health workers and a patient have tragically lost their lives.
Brig Gen. Aso Okoigi released a statement confirming the deaths, revealing that the ordeal began with the management of a patient displaying febrile illness symptoms believed to be the index case of the disease. The patient, too, succumbed to the suspected condition.
The symptoms experienced by the affected individuals include fever and nonspecific ailments resembling malaria, complicated by abnormal liver function, acute kidney failure, encephalopathy, microangiopathy, elevated D-Dimer, among others.
In response to the situation, the A&E Department has been temporarily closed for extensive disinfection, while samples from suspected contacts and the deceased have been dispatched to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) laboratory in Kano for analysis. Additionally, Kaduna State epidemiologists have been called upon to assist in identifying the cause of the febrile illness and prevent its spread.
To prevent further cases, stringent Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures have been put in place, with the administration of Ribavirin injection to other suspected cases and individuals identified through contact tracing. The 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital has ceased admitting new cases from the general public as containment efforts are underway.
The statement emphasizes the heightened risk of VHF among healthcare workers, highlighting the urgent need to bolster IPC practices across all Nigerian Army health facilities. Given the limited treatment options and high mortality associated with VHF outbreaks, the focus remains on prevention through enhanced hospital preparedness and the implementation of universal precautions when attending to patients.
