An outbreak of acute viral hemorrhagic fever has killed three health workers, a patient, with many others in critical condition at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna, headquarters of the state capital.
A circular by the Acting Corps Commander of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Brigadier General S.O Okoigi to the management of the 44 Army Hospital, disclosed this on Wednesday.
ASHENEWS reports that viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are a group of diseases that are caused by several distinct families of viruses. The term “viral hemorrhagic fever” refers to a condition that affects many organ systems of the body, damages the overall cardiovascular system, and reduces the body’s ability to function on its own.
Symptoms of this type of condition can vary but often include bleeding, or hemorrhaging. Some VHFs cause relatively mild illness, while others can cause severe, life threatening disease. Most VHFs have no known cure or vaccine.
The recorded deaths from hemorrhagic fever reportedly resulted from the management of a patient with febrile illness suspected to be the index case, who was brought to the hospital ten days ago.
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The index patient also died at the hospital after presenting symptoms of febrile illness while the three health workers died within 48 hours.
As a result of this, the management of the 44 Army Hospital has shut down the accident and emergency department of the hospital for thorough disinfection.
Meanwhile, samples have been taken from suspected contacts and the deceased and sent to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control in Kano for further analysis.
