The number of confirmed cases of Lassa fever in Edo State has increased by 10, bringing the total to 81, with eight deaths.

Fidel Info reports that the 10 new cases were confirmed in five local councils in the state: Etsako West, Esan North East, Esan West, Akoko Edo, and Etsako Central, according to Prof. Obehi Akoria, the Edo State Commissioner for Health, who briefed journalists in Benin City over the weekend.

Prof. Obehi urged citizens to support the government’s efforts by following preventive measures to help stop the spread of the disease, reassuring them of the government’s commitment to curbing the epidemic and ensuring the health and well-being of locals.

According to her, “We have continued to witness a steady rise in the number of confirmed cases and deaths from Lassa fever with ten new cases confirmed in five local councils in the state. We now have a total of 81 confirmed cases with eight deaths from the disease.”

She said the 81 confirmed cases are spread across 11 local government areas in the state, including Etsako West, 33; Esan West, 19; Esan North East, 16, Esan Central, two and Esan South East with two confirmed cases.

Others are Etsako East, two; Owan East, two; Akoko Edo, two; Ovia North East, one; Oredo, one, and Etsako Central LGA with one confirmed case.

The Commissioner lamented the increasing number of virus-related fatalities, stating that the state now has a case fatality rate of 10%. The eight deaths were reported in four local councils in the state, including Etsako West, with four; Esan North East, with two; Etsako East, with one; and Oredo, with one.

Professor Akoria urged residents to “take responsibility to work with the ministry of health, observe preventive measures and report early symptoms suspected to be malaria or any other illnesses that present like malaria.” He noted that the majority of deaths recorded in the state were people who were ill but did not report to a proper hospital for care until they developed complications.

Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority Healthcare Development and Investment Company (NHDIC) has signed an agreement with the Kwara State Government on its Diagnostics and Oncology Expansion Programme to build, equip, maintain, and operate a private modern medical diagnostic centre and catheterisation lab in Ilorin.

Fidel Info reports that Kwara State is in the first phase of the programme along with Kaduna and Enugu states, with each centre running as a joint venture between Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the respective states.

The programme is designed to curb medical tourism by providing Kwarans and Nigerians with access to world-class healthcare delivery.

The result is the provision of high quality, affordable and accessible healthcare to the local market, creation of jobs and development/training on the required clinical resources.

The centre will be located in the existing Harmony Diagnostic Centre Complex along Asa Dam Road in Ilorin, according to specifications of the NSIA.

The complex will now be upgraded into what will be called the Asa Dam Medical Village, thereby creating a hub for several medical and pharmaceutical facilities, while positioning Kwara State as a new local alternative for quality healthcare.

Commissioner for Health Dr. Raji Razaq signed the agreement with the NSIA in Abuja on behalf of the Kwara State Government.

The event was attended by the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Lolo Cecilia Ezeilo; representatives of Kaduna State and Medical Directors of the Teaching Hospitals; and Managing Director of the Ilorin Innovation Hub, Mr Temi Kolawole.

Former Managing Director, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, Uche Orji said, at the event: “The broader goal of the programme is to establish, in two phases, a portfolio of 23 diagnostic centres, seven catheterization labs and two oncology centres across Nigeria.”

He appreciated Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq for his cooperation and willingness to partner with the NSIA on this new journey, which will upgrade the existing healthcare infrastructure in Kwara state.

The project is estimated to cost the NSIA around $5-7 million and is set to commence before the end of the year.

China announced its first new death from COVID-19 in nearly half a year as strict new measures are imposed in Beijing and across the country to ward against new outbreaks.

Fidel Info reports that The death of the 87-year-old Beijing man was the first reported by the National Health Commission since May 26, bringing the total death toll to 5,227. The previous death was reported in Shanghai, which underwent a major springtime surge in cases.

China, today, announced 24,215 new cases detected over the previous 24 hours, the vast majority of them asymptomatic.

While China has an overall vaccination rate of more than 92% having received at least one dose, that number is considerably lower among the elderly — particularly those over age 80 — where it falls to just 65%. The commission did not give details on the vaccination status of the latest deceased.

That vulnerability is considered one reason why China has mostly kept its borders closed and is sticking with its rigid “zero-COVID” policy that seeks to wipe out infections through lockdowns, quarantines, case tracing and mass testing, despite the impact on normal life and the economy and rising public anger at the authorities.

China says its tough approach has paid off in much lower numbers of cases and deaths than in other countries, such as the U.S.