FIRST SAG EXECUTIVE MEETING

The first meeting of the students Association Government Executives held this evening@  about 5:45pm. The meeting which lasted for about four hours had all the Executive members in attendance. Crucial matters were discussed. Strategic plans were drawn on how to move the Students Association Government to excellent heights.

NEWS UPDATE

Barely 48 hours after the inauguration of the newly elected SAG executives who will henceforth see to the affairs of the government for 2015/2016 session, pleasurable comments are being received from stuents on campus with so many addressing the fact that 'the elected executive members are the right candidacy for each office'.
The president, Comrade Ugwunweze Ikenna(Gu jun pyo) has promised to run an all transparent, productive and an open government and he seeks the compliance of every stakeholders and students on campus and also prayers because it is God who makes a Good president out of an ordinary man.
Already from the area of sports, the Oakland league has kicked off properly. yesterday 15th january was the opening ceremony of the league

 

CHSSAG EXCOS THANKSGIVING TO HOLD TOMORROW 17/01/2016

You are highly invited to the thanksgiving mass of the newly inaugurated SAG executives led by Comrade Ugwunweze Ikenna (Gu jun pyo)
Venue: st Camille de lellis chaplaincy Okofia

Time:6am

Date:Sunday, 17th January 2016


               Comr. Igwe Izuchukwu Michael
                                SAG P.R.O

FROM THE DESK OF THE CHSSAG PRO, COMR. IZUCHUKWU IGWE

This is the official blog of the students association government (SAG) of the college of health sciences Okofia Nnewi. Keep yourself updated on the union's activities, college news and any other information that is relevant to the student's welfare.

Achievements of 2014/2015 CHSSAG Officials

Hosting of Orientation week (2014)

Hosting of X-mas carnival (2014)

Scholarship award to a 200level student during the 2014/2015 Orientation week (2014)

Procurement of white screens for projection (2015)

Renovation of College auditorium toilets, Okofia (2015)

Opening a functional e-mail account for the CHS-SAG (2014)

Design of a functional blogsite for the CHS-SAG- chssag.blogspot.com (2015)

Hosting of Health-Week (2015)

Scholarship awards to 5 students (2015)

Prompt actions to the College & other authorities on students matters throughout the tenure

Renovation of the Secretariat office exterior (2015)

Full payments of all outstanding debts of the CHS-SAG & also payment of all allowances of all officials (2015)

Renovation of students centres (2015)

Successful movie night on Valentine's day & successful valentine(2015)

Procurement of 42 inches television set (2015)

Procurement of other necessary customised office materials (2014-2015)

Maintenance & release of buses for student use(2014-2015)

Working with stakeholders to ensure a free & fair election (2015)

May 9th event and initiating the agitation for a new ambulance for CHS NAU Nnewi(2015)

Tackling the out of stock syndrome in the college clinic by informing the relevant authorities about the anomaly.(2015)

Valentine outreach to motherless babies & Recdot(2015)

Influencing the Vice Chancellor & provost-student forum in June, 2015

Leading the agitation for a new school bus leading to the release of a new 30 seater coaster bus.(2015)

Leading the agitation for improved power supply within the school compound leading to procurement of a 60kVA plant.(2015)

Implementation of the direct payment of SUG Nnewi dues to SUG Nnewi  account instead of bursary.(2015)

Successfully putting a stop to the payment of #100 from our school fees to SUG Awka(2015)

Fixing of light bulbs in final year hostel.(2015)

Influencing of painting n Renovation of the Cc hostel.(2015)

On the spot assessment of projects started by the university in CHS during our tenure, giving us an opportunity to motivate the workers.(2016)



Thank you for giving us your mandate and also supporting us during our tenure.

From:
 CHS-SAG 2014/2015 OFFICIALS

Students, Start Now To Prepare For Life After School

Let's make something clear, “students think". In fact, students think a lot about money, drinks, parties, opposite sex and so on but most importantly students think about their lives after school, which is good.

The bad thing however is that what they think about life after school are majorly unrealistic thoughts like, "hey, I am finally in 100 level studying economics in Kogi State University, and I'll graduate in 4 years’ time, then go for service and probably do some masters and PhD thingy then get a job and make money".

That's so unrealistic that its makes WWE wrestling more real. Its plain garbage thought you need to start getting out of your head. This life isn't Hollywood, and when you're born into one hell of a country like Nigeria you need to wise up and start thinking with your "brain".

If you can take your time and look outside your window to see millions of graduates roaming about the streets you'll probably understand that it’s not as easy as you think it is, if it was that easy your parents and your friends parents and all parents in Nigeria will be multi billionaires and you may not even need to go to school.

Life isn't easy, and Nigeria is making life even harder for Nigerians. The labour market is so choked up, it will take extra power for an angel to pass through. There is hardship in every corner of the country and the earlier you realize these things, the better for you.

So instead partying and smiling all around school why don't you sit yourself down and not only think logically but also plan logically. These topics might get you onto the right path:

- First and foremost you need to realize you only have one life to live, every circumstance you find yourself will most definitely come once, you don't go to primary school twice, well, except you're going there the second time to teach or something. My point is, in every situation you find yourself you have to try hard in making the best outta that situation, if you don't succeed, it’s okay, at least you tried.

- Ask yourself questions, like why are there few rich people in the country, what can I do to get there, what are my potentials, what are my weaknesses. You have tons of questions you should start asking yourself.

- You need to start tasking yourself. Are you too young to make money?? I mean, there are lots of unemployed graduates out there who still depend on their parents. I know you don't want to belong in that category when you're done with school. You need to know what you have to do to make that money so you do not have to depend on anybody.

God has given you a talent, why don't you discover it and start using it to make money now. There are tons of things you can do as an undergraduate that can cough out money for you, you just need to think and plan on how to strike a balance between your academics and what you're doing.

It's not how petty the job is or how little you're earning. It’s about knowing for a fact that you can do something to improve your situation.

A lot of OND, HND, BSc, PhD holders are out there (those certs are common these days), some even have all those certs with them at the moment but have nothing to show for it because they failed to realize that school is not about learning on how to work for a boss, it’s also about how to develop yourself to being your own boss.

- You need to stop thinking about your future and know that the future you are thinking of is "NOW". You have to start thinking and planning logically from now on.

- You need to start encouraging yourself to do things that'll make you big. Forget where you are now, it doesn't matter, its where you're going to be when it’s all said and done that matters.

Forget the fact that you stay in Dagana or you stay in one shady place around KSU, and your fellow mates stay in billionaires lodge or exquisite lodge (it’s probably not their money anyways), it doesn't matter. What matters is that you are formulating a plan that will change your situation when four years is done and dusted.

- All in all you have to think of doing only what's necessary to get that money, not something people like or what they don't like, not what brings shame to you or doesn't bring shame to you, you don't have to care what people think about you, 'cause at the end of it all it's you and only you that matters.

Nobody remembers the disgusting or not disgusting things Dangote has done in the past, because it was necessary to get him to where he is now, “the richest man in Africa".

Cc:Lalasticlala..


http://solutionclass.com/forum2_theme_110811609.xhtml?tema=1210

INAUGURATION OF NEW SAG EXECUTIVES TO HOLD TOMORROW 14/01/2016

INAUGURATION! INAUGURATION!!

You are specially invited to the inauguration of the new SAG  executives and General Assembly of the union!

Your presence is really needed to grace the occasion as its the first outing of the newly elected. Let's show them love and start the government together with a good impression.

The General assembly is where the  highest decision is made. we need to come and voice out our minds, advice the executives; be part of the decision making! The Union is our own, if anything goes right or wrong,the effect will be on the students. That's the more reason we should start the government together.
ALUTA CONTINUA...VICTORIA ASERTA

Long live SAG!
Long live the good people of UNIZIK!

Schedule of fees for 2015/2016 session released

The budget cannot be missing - Senator Ndume

'The budget cannot be missing. A copy can be laid, it is a symbolic copy, the budget will be in custody of both Chambers. It cannot be stolen, it cannot be missing. Once the budget is laid in the National Assembly, it has become the property of National Assembly,'' he said.

On the visit of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to President Muhammadu Buhari after the report of the missing budget, Ndume said: '' Saraki's visit to Villa is for Senate to know the President's priority. We want to see how we can fast track the passage of the budget before the end of February. What is before the Senate is proposal, once the president signs it, it cannot be amended, we can turn the budget upside down, it cannot be missing”

Lionel Messi wins Ballon d'Or over Cristiano Ronaldo & Neymar

                                          

Lionel Messi has won the FIFA Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world for the fifth time, while US midfielder Carli Lloyd has claimed her first-ever FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award. FC Barcelona coach Luis Enrique Martínez and US national team coach Jill Ellis have also been named for the first time as FIFA World Coaches of the Year for Men’s and Women’s Football respectively. The winners were chosen by the coaches and captains of the national teams as well as by international media representatives invited by FIFA and France Football. The entire electoral procedure was overseen and monitored by PricewaterhouseCoopers Switzerland (PwC).

The awards were presented on Monday evening (11 January 2016) during a 90-minute show at Zurich’s Kongresshaus that was hosted by Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt and British journalist Kate Abdo. The musical entertainment for the 1,100 guests and TV viewers in over 190 countries and territories around the world was provided by British pop star Leona Lewis and young Croatian cellists Luka Šulić and Stjepan Hauser, known as 2CELLOS.

This year’s FIFA Fair Play Award was presented to all the football organisations and clubs around the world that are working to support refugees. Former German international Gerald Asamoah, who campaigns for the welfare of refugees, received the award from former South African icon Lucas Radebe on behalf of all the awardees. This year, the world has witnessed a refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe because of conflict in Syria. Many innocent people have fled their homes in desperate conditions to find safety for themselves and their loved ones. Society has responded and the world of football has also contributed to the cause. Clubs and football organisations all over the world have acted to help welcome and support refugees as they integrate into local communities.

International players’ union FIFPro received votes from 26,478 professional players from around the world for the FIFA FIFPro World XI, the best team of 2015, with the following result: Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich) in goal; Dani Alves (Brazil/FC Barcelona), Marcelo (Brazil/Real Madrid), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid) and Thiago Silva (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain) in defence; Andrés Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona), Luka Modrić (Croatia/Real Madrid) and Paul Pogba (France/Juventus) in midfield; and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona) and Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona) in attack.

The FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year was also presented after 1.6 million football fans cast their votes on FIFA.com, FIFA on YouTube and francefootball.fr. This award, which is a tribute to Ferenc Puskás, the captain and star of the 1950s Hungary team, was won by Brazilian Wendell Lira from Goianésia, who topped the poll with 46.7 % of the votes ahead of Lionel Messi (33.3 %) and Alessandro Florenzi (7.1%).

The awards at a glance

The FIFA Ballon d’Or was presented for the sixth time since the merging of the FIFA World Player of the Year award and France Football’s Ballon d’Or award in 2010.

• 165 national team coaches, 162 national team captains and 171 media representatives submitted their votes for the FIFA Ballon d’Or award. Lionel Messi won the title with 41.33% of all votes ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (27.76%) and Neymar (7.86%).

• 136 national team coaches, 135 national team captains and 106 media representatives voted for the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award. Carli Lloyd came out on top with 35.28% of all votes, ahead of German Célia Šašić (12.60%) and Japan’s Aya Miyama (9.88%).

• 167 national team coaches, 161 national team captains and 171 media representatives voted for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football award. Luis Enrique Martínez won the award with 31.08% of all votes after leading FC Barcelona to four titles (La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup) in 2015. Second and third place were claimed by Pep Guardiola (FC Bayern Munich, 22.97%) and Jorge Sampaoli (Chilean national team, 9.47%) respectively.

• 137 national team coaches, 137 national team captains and 106 media representatives voted for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football award. Jill Ellis won this prize after leading the US women’s national team to glory at the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in Canada. She secured 42.98% of all votes, ahead of Japan coach Norio Sasaki (17.79%) and England women’s national team coach Mark Sampson (10.68%).

LASSA FEVER: OFFICE OF THE SUB DEAN OF STUDENT AFFAIRS ISSUE ALERT

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL STUDENTS FROM THE SUB DEAN OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

LASSA FEVER EPIDEMIC!!! 

This is to inform all our students that there is currently an epidemic of LASSA FEVER in the country. The disease has currently infected 86 persons with about 40 deaths in ten states of the Federation (Bauchi, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Oyo). LASSA FEVER is an acute febrile illness, with bleeding and death in severe cases, caused by the LASSA FEVER virus with an incubation period of 6-12days. About 80% of human infectiond are asymptomatic, the remaining cases have severe multi-system disease, where the virus affects several organ in the body, such as the liver, spleen & kidneys. 

The onset of the disease is usually gradual, starting with fever, General weakness and malaise followed by headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough,  and bleeding from the mouth, nose,  vagina, or gastrointestinal tract, & low blood pressure. 

The reservoir or host of the LASSA virus is the "MULTIMAMMATE RAT" called "MASTOMYS NATALENSIS" which has many breasts and lives in the Bush and peri residential areas. The virus is shed in the urine and droppings of the rats hence can be transmitted with these materials or through cut or sores. Person to person transmission also occurs most especially when a person comes in contact with the virus in the blood, tissue, secretions or excrement of an infected individual. 

In response to this outbreak, and to ensure a proactive measure,  all students are advised to:

1. Ensure regular sanitation within and around their respective lodges to reduce rat population. 

2.  Cleaners in the university hostel have been directed to redouble their effort to ensure that the hostels are kept clean. 

3. Any suspected case shoul immediately be reported to NAUTH Nnewi,  Infection Control Unit. 

4. Avoid contact with blood and body fluids of any suspected person (s). 

Thank you for your anticipated co-operation. 

Dr. Oranusi, C. K

Sub-Dean Student Affairs. 

Cc: provost

       Chief potress (CCH, final year hostel)

      All notice boards.

Saraki donates N2.6m to victims of Ilorin violence

Senate President Bukola Saraki on Friday donated N2.6million to the 53 victims of the recent violence in Agbarere and lta-Ajia areas of Ilorin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each of the 53 beneficiaries, whose vehicles were damaged, received N50,000 at the constituency office of the senate president in Ilorin.
The cash was presented to the beneficiaries by the Director General of the ABUBAKAR Bukola Saraki Constituency Office, Alhaji Abdulwahab Issa.
In his remarks, the director general said the gesture of Saraki was in response to the pledge he made when he visited the victims in May 2015.
The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in llorin East Local Government Area, Alhaji Salman Mahmud, expressed gratitude to the senate president for the gesture.
He appealed to parents to closely monitor the activities of their children.
One of the beneficiaries, Hajia Risikat Raji, commended Saraki for coming to the aid of the victims, saying the money would alleviate their sufferings.
NAN recalls that violence broke out at Agbarere and lta-Ajia areas of llorin on April 25, 2015, resulting in damage to houses and vehicles.

CHSSAG PRESS RELEASE ON THE CURRENT LASSA FEVER OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA

Fellow students, in the past few days there has been an outbreak in some states such as Taraba, Niger, Nassarawa, Bauchi, Kano and Rivers States, leaving some people dead and others hospitalised.

Lassa virus is a member of the arenavirus family. The disease was first described in the 1950s, and the virus was identified in 1969, when 2 missionary nurses died from it in the town of Lassa in Nigeria.

Transmission

Lassa virus is present in rats, which shed the virus in their urine and droppings. These are common in rural areas of tropical Africa, and often live in or around homes. Once infected, rodents shed virus throughout their life.

Transmission of Lassa virus to humans normally occurs through contamination of broken skin or mucous membranes via direct or indirect contact with infected rodent excreta, on floors, home surfaces, in food or water. Transmission is also possible where rodents are caught and consumed as food.

Person to person transmission occurs through infected bodily fluids, such as blood, saliva, urine or semen.

This transmission can happen:

• in the laboratory
• in a healthcare setting
• via sexual or other close contact

Transmission to close contacts usually only occurs while the patient has symptoms. However, a patient can excrete virus in urine for between 3 and 9 weeks after the onset of illness. Patients can transmit the virus via semen for up to 3 months.

Symptoms

Infection is mild or asymptomatic in 80% of cases, but can cause severe illness and is fatal in approximately 1 to 3% of patients. The incubation period for disease is usually between 7 and 10 days, with a maximum of 21 days.

The onset of illness is insidious, with:

• fever and shivering
• malaise
• headache
• generalised aching
• sore throat

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or cough can accompany these symptoms.

An important diagnostic feature is the appearance of patches of white or yellowish exudate and occasionally small vesicles or shallow ulcers on the tonsils and pharynx.

As the illness progresses the body temperature can rise to 41ºC with daily fluctuations of 2 to 3ºC.

Extreme lethargy and exhaustion can occur in severe attacks, that is disproportionate to the level of fever. During the second week of illness symptoms include:

• oedema of the head and neck
• encephalopathy
• pleural effusion
• ascites.

Renal and circulatory failure may occur, aggravated by vomiting and diarrhoea.

In the severest cases bleeding into the skin, mucosae and deeper tissues occurs, usually leading to death.

Symptoms in children are similar to those in adults, but infant infection can result in ‘swollen baby syndrome’ with oedema, abdominal distension, bleeding and often death.

Diagnosis

Clinical diagnosis of Lassa fever is difficult. It can be confused with other infections such as severe malaria, typhoid fever, and other viral haemorrhagic fevers.

RT-PCR for nucleic acid detection, virus isolation or antibody detection methods can diagnose Lassa fever.

Treatment

Treatment with the antiviral drug ribavirin is most effective when started within the first 6 days of illness, and should be given intravenously for 6 days.

Supportive care such as fluid replacement, blood transfusion or other appropriate measures is also essential.

.

Prevention and control

There is no licensed vaccine for Lassa fever. In endemic areas, rodent control and avoiding contact with rodents and their excreta helps prevent infection. Infection control includes storing food in rat proof containers.

Avoiding contact with bodily fluids of an infected patient prevents person to person spread. In healthcare settings these infection control measures include

• special barrier nursing procedures
• VHF isolation precautions to isolate infected patients
• wearing protective clothing for contact with the patient

Once the patient has recovered they are only infectious via semen and urine. Patients must avoid sexual intercourse for 3 months.

People living in endemic areas of West Africa with high populations of rodents are most at risk of Lassa fever. Imported cases rarely occur elsewhere in the world. Such cases are almost exclusively in persons who work in endemic areas in high risk occupations such as medical or other aid workers.

·         Ensure you store foods in rat proof containers and cook all foods thoroughly before eating.

·         Discourage rodents from entering the house by blocking all possible entry points.

·         For food manufacturers and handlers, do not spread food where rats can have access to it.

·         All fluids from an infected person are extremely dangerous.

·         Lodge presidents should liaise with their landlords to fumigate their lodges.

·         Students who go for posting are also advised to be at alert, wear personal protective equipment, observe universal basic precautions, nurse suspected cases in isolation and report same to your Unit head immediately.

·         We have already recommended that the CC Hostel should be fumigated as a matter of urgency.

                                                                                                    SIGNED:

COMR. FII TORNUBARI SAMUEL,

                                                                                      CHS-SAG PRO

Pat Utomi Prize for Students’ Debate on Public Policy 2016

Pat Utomi Prize for Students’ Debate on Public Policy 2016 is designed to be an annual debate festival that shall revive and stimulate the fast eroding culture of students’ debates in campuses on government policies, programs and public affairs in Nigeria. Each year, interested students from tertiary institutions in Nigeria shall participate in preliminaries to qualify for the grand finale scheduled to hold every 6th February alongside Prof Patrick Utomi’s birthday commemoration and annual lecture.

During the first quarter of Nigeria’s independence, tertiary institutions were known for great lectures and intellectually stimulating debates among students on different government policies and programs. Our tertiary institutions were known as a source for providing alternate and qualitative views on public affairs which government and social institutions considered in framing policy and program directions. It is therefore no wonder that in 1976, Prof Pat Utomi as a 19 year old 300 level student of the University of Nsukka, in then Old Anambra State of Nigeria, wrote to and invited the late Amb. Joe Garba who was then Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to come for a debate in his Campus with students on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy. Indeed Amb. Joe Garba honoured the invitation and flew all the way from Lagos to the University of Nsukka to debate and interact with students! What gave Prof Pat Utomi the confidence to invite the then serving Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria to his school for a debate was because it was an integral part of school and students activities to engage in robust debate on national issues. Today, that culture has been replaced with music and dance competitions, beauty pageants and lotteries. There is indeed a great need to resuscitate that culture of debating and intellectual exchanges among our students to spur a new culture of intellectualism among next generation students and leaders.

Prizes

Star Prize – N750,000.  Second Prize – N500,000. Third Prize – N250,000

Modality

Phase 1

Students in legally registered  higher institutions in Nigeria who are interested shall record a 2 minutes video and submit for screening and selection. 16 highest scoring applicants shall be selected for the next phase.

Phase 2

The 16 selected debaters shall converge in Abuja for a 1 day preliminary debate on 14 January, 2016. After the preliminary debate, 4 Debaters shall emerge to proceed to the grand finale.

Grand Finale

The last round of the debate between 4 finalists shall happen on 6th February, 2016 during the CVL Annual Lecture and commemoration of Prof Pat Utomi’s birthday in Lagos, Nigeria.


How To Participate

Step One
Record a 2 minutes video of yourself speaking on the topic “Should skills acquisition be mandatory for tertiary institutions?”

Step Two
Upload your video to your YouTube account

Step Three
Complete the Online Submission Form -
http://youngstarsfoundation.org/pat-utomi-prize-submission-form/

Deadline for Submissions

January 8, 2016.

Eligibility

Undergraduates of legally registered tertiary institutions in Nigeria, below 27 years of age.

Pat Utomi Prize for Students Debate on Public Policy is an initiative of Youngstars Foundation in partnership with Centre for Values in Leadership. For inquiries, email engage@youngstarsfoundation.org or call 07035535876/08020900285

What you should know about Lassa fever - WHO

Lassa fever

Key facts

    Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness of 1-4 weeks duration that occurs in West Africa.
    The Lassa virus is transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces.
    Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevent and control measures.
    Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin (where it was diagnosed for the first time in November 2014), Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and parts of Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.
    The overall case-fatality rate is 1%. Observed case-fatality rate among patients hospitalized with severe cases of Lassa fever is 15%.
    Early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival.

Background

Though first described in the 1950s, the virus causing Lassa disease was not identified until 1969. The virus is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the virus family Arenaviridae.

About 80% of people who become infected with Lassa virus have no symptoms. One in five infections result in severe disease, where the virus affects several organs such as the liver, spleen and kidneys.

Lassa fever is a zoonotic disease, meaning that humans become infected from contact with infected animals. The animal reservoir, or host, of Lassa virus is a rodent of the genus Mastomys, commonly known as the “multimammate rat.” Mastomys rats infected with Lassa virus do not become ill, but they can shed the virus in their urine and faeces.

Because the clinical course of the disease is so variable, detection of the disease in affected patients has been difficult. However, when presence of the disease is confirmed in a community, prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection protection and control practices and rigorous contact tracing can stop outbreaks.

Symptoms of Lassa fever

The incubation period of Lassa fever ranges from 6-21 days. The onset of the disease, when it is symptomatic, is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, and malaise. After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, and abdominal pain may follow. In severe cases facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure may develop. Protein may be noted in the urine. Shock, seizures, tremor, disorientation, and coma may be seen in the later stages. Deafness occurs in 25% of patients who survive the disease. In half of these cases, hearing returns partially after 1-3 months. Transient hair loss and gait disturbance may occur during recovery.

Death usually occurs within 14 days of onset in fatal cases. The disease is especially severe late in pregnancy, with maternal death and/or fetal loss occurring in greater than 80% of cases during the third trimester.

Transmission

Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. Lassa virus may also be spread between humans through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces, or other bodily secretions of a person infected with Lassa fever. There is no epidemiological evidence supporting airborne spread between humans. Person-to-person transmission occurs in both community and health-care settings, where the virus may be spread by contaminated medical equipment, such as re-used needles. Sexual transmission of Lassa virus has been reported.

Lassa fever occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Persons at greatest risk are those living in rural areas where Mastomys are usually found, especially in communities with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Health workers are at risk if caring for Lassa fever patients in the absence of proper barrier nursing and infection control practices.
Diagnosis

Because the symptoms of Lassa fever are so varied and non-specific, clinical diagnosis is often difficult, especially early in the course of the disease. Lassa fever is difficult to distinguish from other viral haemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola virus disease; and many other diseases that cause fever, including malaria, shigellosis, typhoid fever and yellow fever.

Definitive diagnosis requires testing that is available only in specialized laboratories. Laboratory specimens may be hazardous and must be handled with extreme care. Lassa virus infections can only be diagnosed definitively in the laboratory using the following tests:

    antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
    antigen detection tests
    reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
    virus isolation by cell culture.

Treatment and vaccines

The antiviral drug ribavirin seems to be an effective treatment for Lassa fever if given early on in the course of clinical illness. There is no evidence to support the role of ribavirin as post-exposure prophylactic treatment for Lassa fever.

There is currently no vaccine that protects against Lassa fever.

Prevention and control

Prevention of Lassa fever relies on promoting good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households and keeping cats. Because Mastomys are so abundant in endemic areas, it is not possible to completely eliminate them from the environment. Family members should always be careful to avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons.

In health-care settings, staff should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.

Health workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Lassa fever should apply extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with Lassa fever, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).

Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from humans and animals for investigation of Lassa virus infection should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

On rare occasions, travellers from areas where Lassa fever is endemic export the disease to other countries. Although malaria, typhoid fever, and many other tropical infections are much more common, the diagnosis of Lassa fever should be considered in febrile patients returning from West Africa, especially if they have had exposures in rural areas or hospitals in countries where Lassa fever is known to be endemic. Health-care workers seeing a patient suspected to have Lassa fever should immediately contact local and national experts for advice and to arrange for laboratory testing.

WHO response

The Ministries of Health of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, WHO, the Office of United States Foreign Disaster Assistance, the United Nations, and other partners have worked together to establish the Mano River Union Lassa Fever Network. The programme supports these 3 countries in developing national prevention strategies and enhancing laboratory diagnostics for Lassa fever and other dangerous diseases. Training in laboratory diagnosis, clinical management, and environmental control is also included. In addition, a new ward dedicated to the care of patients with Lassa fever is under construction in Sierra Leone, sponsored by the European Union.

For more information contact:

WHO Media centre
Telephone: +41 22 791 2222
E-mail: mediainquiries@who.int

Conjoined Twins Born In Ganjuwa, Bauchi State (Photos)

Chemistry: Four elements added to periodic table

Kosuke Morita led the Japanese team at the Riken Institute

 Four chemical elements have been formally added to the periodic table, completing the scheme's seventh row.
They are the first to be included in the table since 2011, when elements 114 and 116 were added.
The first true iteration of the table was produced in 1869 by the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev.
The new additions were formally verified by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on 30 December 2015.
The body announced that a team of Russian and American researchers had provided sufficient evidence to claim the discovery of elements 115, 117 and 118.
IUPAC awarded credit for the discovery of element 113 to a Japanese team at the Riken Institute.
The teams responsible for the discoveries have been invited to come up with permanent names and chemical symbols for the now-confirmed elements.
"The chemistry community is eager to see its most cherished table finally being completed down to the seventh row. IUPAC has now initiated the process of formalising names and symbols for these elements," said Prof Jan Reedijk, president of the inorganic chemistry division of IUPAC.
New elements can be named after a mythological concept, a mineral, a place or country, a property or a scientist.
After the responsible IUPAC division accepts the new names and two-letter symbols, they will be presented for public review for five months.
The chemistry organisation's council will then make a final decision.