The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has dispelled news making the rounds that some corps members serving in Ondo state were among the causality of the dreaded Lassa fever disease that ravaged five council areas of the state.

Recall that 16 persons have so far died of the disease while over 150 cases have been reported.

The outbreak had sent fear and anxiety across the council areas as the residents trooped to health centres to know their health status.

Coordinator of the Scheme in the Ondo state, Grace Akpabio has asked parents not to panic following the outbreak “as all measures have been put in place for the safety of corps members deployed to the state.

Akapbio explained that Corps members had been sensitised on how to prevent Lassa fever while the scheme was currently carrying out sensitisation in all local communities.

According to her, Corps members have also been directed to stay away from drinking garri and ensure a clean environment, especially in areas with high recorded cases of Lassa Fever.

She added that the scheme had entered into an agreement with the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Owo to give any corps member with symptoms of Lassa fever immediate medical treatment.

“We have a standing agreement with the Lassa fever section of the Federal Medical Center (FMC) that if there is any problem, they attend to our corps members and treat them immediately.

“In any case, if any of them is suspected of having Lassa fever, the corps members would be treated.

“Apart from that, we are carrying out sensitisation at the Community Development Service Unit (CDSU) to all corps members and we have also told them that they should stay away from drinking garri since the cause of Lassa fever is from rodents and ensure a clean environment so that they would not attract rodents to their houses.

“Also, the corps members in LCDA groups are also going into the communities to carry our sensitisation on Lassa Fever to help the local communities and not only the corps members so that everyone will prevent having the deadly disease.

“So far, all the corps members are aware of what is happening and they are ready to do the needful in the prevention of Lassa fever.

“During the last camp in December, experts gave talks to the corps members on Lassa Fever and on how they can protect themselves.

“No corps members are affected with Lassa fever so far. It was sometimes last year we had a scare but the corps member was admitted by the FMC and after some tests were carried out on the corps member, he came back with a clean bill of health.

Akpabio noted that “We give more attention in terms of sensitisation to Owo and Ese – Odo local government areas where the recorded cases of Lassa fever seem to be high so that the corps members will not be careless.”