Lassa Fever Patient Absconds in Nigeria's Ebonyi State

A Lassa fever patient receiving treatment in Nigeria’s southeastern state of Ebonyi on Tuesday absconded from a health facility to an unknown place, Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole told an audience in Abuja.

The patient was being quarantined in Ebonyi, one of the high-risk states affected by the latest Lassa fever outbreak which has claimed almost 50 lives across the country, the senior official said during the inauguration of a National Lassa Fever Action Committee to investigate, control and prevent further outbreaks of the disease.

Security agencies and health officials have immediately taken contact tracing steps to find the fleeing patient which now poses a serious threat to the society, the official said.

ABDUCTION: Police Rescues 5-year-old Boy from Kidnappers In Ebonyi  

Men of the anti-kidnapping Squad of the Ebonyi State Police Command yesterday rescued a five-year-old boy kidnapped on the December 30, 2015 at Okwu-Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the State.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, who confirmed the incident, noted that the victim was kidnapped at about 9:45 pm but the police expedited action for the prompt rescue of the child because of the threat that he would be sold out.

She added that with intelligence gathering and collaborative efforts of the family and the community on aggressive search, the victim was rescued yesterday after attempt to collect ransom was foiled.