HEALTH: choi! NMA Chairman On Lassa Fever; Do Not Drink Garri With Cold Water??
In view of
the outbreak of Lassa Fever, residents of Port Harcourt have been advised to
stop drinking garri soaked in cold water for now, because rats that carry the
highly contagious Lassa fever virus.
They are also advised to avoid
drinking exposed dry garri. Dr. Furo Green, the Chairman of Rivers
State branch of Nigerian Medical Association, NBA, gave this medical advice,
while speaking on the Lassa Fever scourge in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State
Capital. He said;
“Because you are
not sure which garri has been infected by rats, it’s advisable to
stay away. When you want to sip garri, you only pour cold water, add sugar
and milk as the case may be. When you do that you only succeed in gulping
a life virus that can cause Lassa fever.
The virus is empowered easily to
attack you. Rather, garri should be consumed in the traditional way prepare it
well boiled hot water or pour the garri in a pot of boiling hot water and steer
it.”
Dr. Green also
advised members of the public to store food in closed containers to keep rats
at bay. “ When you buy foodstuffs like garri, you should pour it into a
container that is covered to avoid the garri from being contaminated infected
rats”.
The state is
being cautious because the outbreak of Lassa fever disease has cost Rivers
State. The medical doctor was said to have contracted the fever from a
pregnant woman, whom he conducted an emergency Caesarean Section on, unknown to
him, she was infected.
The death of the doctor brought to three, the
number of persons who have died from the disease in the state, as a nursing
mother and her two-week-old baby died earlier from the virus.
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