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One person has died of Lassa fever at the National Hospital in Abuja, sending fears to residents of the Federal Capital Terrirory (FCT).
But the government allayed the fears but urged the people to be vigilant.
Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole, who announced the latest casualty, said yesterday that the death toll from the disease since its outbreak in August 2015 has increased to 43.
The Abuja victim, according to the minister, came to the FCT from Plateau state.
The minister charged health workers to be more vigilant and look out for symptoms of the disease.
A statement by the Federal Minstry of Health's Director of Press Mrs. Boade Akinola on behalf of the minister, said: "The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, has announced the death of one confirmed Lassa fever victim at the National Hospital in Abuja.
"The Minister who made the announcement at the National Hospital also called on health workers at all levels to be more vigilant and look out for patients with symptoms of Lassa fever.
"The Minister has directed that all primary and secondary contacts of the victim should be tracked including the staff of the private hospital in Kubwa where the deceased was first managed for one week and subsequently became unconscious before the referral to the National Hospital.
"He also advised that family members should report at the nearest hospital if anyone has fever for more than two days."
The Minister, however, urged Abuja residents not to panic but to maintain high level vigilance and present themselves for test if they feel unhealthy or they feel symptoms of Lassa fever which include high fever, stooling, tiredness, vomiting, etc., adding that self-medication should be avoided at this period.
The Medical Director of the Hospital Dr Jack Momoh who briefed the Minister, said the patient was brought in unconscious from a Private Hospital in Kubwa where he was admitted for eight days.
The 33-year-old newly married, lived in Jos, Plateau State but came to see a family member in Kubwa. He however died within 24 hours of admission at the National Hospital.
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Health, National Centre for Disease Control and other relevant agencies to put more efforts in containing and stamping out Lassa fever in Nigeria".
The Green Chamber, which also asked the ministry and agencies to put permanent preventive measure in place, mandated its committees on Health Institutions and Health Services to synergise and find an immediate solution to the festering virus infection.
The lawmakers also urged the Federal Government "to make available to the relevant agencies adequate funding needed to tackle the Lassa fever outbreak as a matter of urgency.
The resolutions of the House was sequel to the passage of a motion under urgent national importance by Hon. Chike Okafor, chairman, House Committee on Health Services under the title: "Urgent need to stop the embarrassing outbreak of Lassa fever virus in Nigeria and the need to step up the fight against further spread and loss of lives".
Lauding the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health to contain the outbreak, Okafor said there was the need to do more to check its spread.
The motion was passed without dissent when Speaker Yakubu Dogara called for a voice vote.
In Minna, the Niger State capital, the Minister of Health, said the nation's breakdown of notification system was responsible for the high cases of Lassa fever that have been recorded.
He expressed dismay that government was not aware of the disease for months after its outbreak, vowing to restore the notification system in a way that one single disease or death would be noticed, even at the national level.
The minister, who was in the state as part of a Nationwide Surveillance Assessment and fact-finding exercise, said the Federal Government was not ready to find fault, but to find out what went wrong and rectify it.
Adewole said the disease has been brought under control and lauded the Niger State government for been proactive in the handling the outbreak of the disease in the state.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso, called for incorporation of traditional healthcare healers into the National Primary Health Care delivery policy.
Nine persons have been killed by the Lassa fever at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo State since November last year.
The victims were said to have reported late to the hospital for treatment.
Many of them died at the Accident and Emergency Ward of the hospital before their ailments could be diagnose as Lassa fever.
A Lassa fever patient died on Tuesday at the hospital and another whose case was described as critical was admitted yesterday.
It was gathered that one of the two patients admitted at the Isolation Ward is responding to treatment.
Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Sylvanus Okogbenin, who spoke to reporters yesterday, said the present Lassa fever cases were endemic in Edo North.
Dr. Sylvanus added that test and treatment for Lassa fever at the hospital was free as the Federal Government has provided enough ribavirin vaccine.
He called for the building of more treatment facilities in each of the geo-political zone for easy diagnoses and treatment.
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