Ebonyi State in eastern Nigeria on Monday confirmed a fresh outbreak of Lassa fever, saying that two persons have died from the disease and four others on the danger list.

The Permanent Secretary in the state ministry of health, Hyacinth Oteh, announced the development while receiving the health emergency response team from the Federal Ministry of Health.

Oteh said the outbreak of the disease was reported on February 1 and confirmed that two of the six patients infected with the disease had died while the other four were critical.

He regretted the absence of a virology laboratory in the state to aid early diagnosis and treatment of the disease, adding that some deaths had been recorded earlier when the disease was first reported in the state in 2005.

The permanent secretary advocated for the establishment of a virology laboratory in each of the geo-political zones to help contain the spread of the disease through early diagnosis and treatment.

He said medical doctors and other health workers involved in the fight against the disease should emphasize contact tracing in order to isolate people identified with the disease.

According to him, the state government had commenced enlightenment campaign on the resurgence of the disease and the need for members of the public to protect themselves.

Jerry Kehinde, the leader of the team, said nine states, including Ebonyi, had been identified as Lassa fever prone and maintained that the Federal Ministry of Health was doing everything to contain the spread.

He said the virus was being spread by a specie of rats known as mastomis netlensis.

He said the states affected were those ravaged by the 2012 flood disaster and warned the people to avoid contacts with rats.

Kehinde said the team would identify the source of the infection and create public awareness about it.