Deadly Viral Outbreak Forces Shutdown of Hospital’s Emergency Department in Nigeria

The 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna has temporarily closed its Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department following the tragic loss of three staff members and one patient to what is suspected to be a Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) outbreak within 48 hours.

Brigadier General S.O. Okoigi, the Acting Corp Commander Medical of the Nigerian Army, revealed the distressing news through an internal memo.

VHF encompasses a range of illnesses caused by different virus families, known for severely affecting multiple organ systems, compromising the cardiovascular system, and diminishing the body’s autonomous functioning.

In Nigeria, VHFs of significant concern include Lassa fever, Ebola, Dengue fever, and Yellow fever, with symptoms varying from mild to severe, including bleeding and hemorrhaging. Unfortunately, most VHFs lack both a cure and a vaccine.

The suspected outbreak at the hospital began after treating a patient with a febrile illness, who is believed to have been the index patient, approximately ten days prior. This patient, along with the deceased staff members, exhibited symptoms such as fever, liver dysfunction, acute kidney failure, encephalopathy, and elevated D-Dimer levels, among others.

In response to the outbreak, the A&E department has been shut down for extensive disinfection, and samples from suspected contacts and the deceased have been dispatched to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) laboratory in Kano for further analysis. The involvement of Kaduna state epidemiologists aims to identify the illness’s cause and prevent further spread.