Hospitals and primary health centers across Lagos State are reporting a rapid increase in patients presenting with persistent fevers, chills, coughs, and flu-like symptoms, with some healthcare workers noting the symptoms feel eerily similar to the initial COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.
The surge in upper respiratory infections has caused anxiety among residents, who are left confused by the persistence of the illness even after traditional malaria and flu treatments.
Patients Report Ineffective Treatment and Lingering Symptoms
Lagos residents like Kabir Adeoye (42), of Hausari Ward, have been battling fever, chills, and sweating for weeks. Adeoye initially self-medicated for malaria, but his condition worsened, leaving his palms and feet feeling “as though they were on fire.”
“Despite completing my medications, I still felt the same way and wondered if the drugs no longer worked,” he told Saturday PUNCH.
His confusion deepened when his two children were also diagnosed with malaria, despite his strict sanitation efforts.
Another resident, Amusan, a banker, described a persistent, dry, and unrelenting cough that led to a sore throat, catarrh, and cold. Despite completing multiple rounds of medication, her symptoms intensified. She noted a disturbing coincidence when a colleague developed the exact same symptoms.
“At one point, I even worried that it could truly be COVID-19, especially after seeing reports of new cases on X in parts of the U.S. and the U.K., countries from which many people travel to Nigeria daily. I just hope it isn’t what I’m fearing,” Amusan said.
Doctors Raise Concern Over Symptom Severity
Healthcare facilities are experiencing crowded waiting areas filled with patients of all ages presenting identical symptoms.
A nurse at a primary health center in Oshodi spoke on the condition of anonymity: “For the past two weeks, we have had a steady stream of patients with persistent coughs and fevers. It feels just like 2020 all over again when COVID-19 broke out.”
A doctor at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), who is also battling the illness, confirmed the severity. He reported losing his sense of taste completely, experiencing a persistent metallic taste in his mouth, and dealing with anxiety due to the illness’s persistence.
“I have lost my sense of taste completely, have a persistent metallic taste in my mouth, and am still battling cold and flu-like symptoms,” the doctor told Saturday PUNCH.
The Need for Stronger Measures
Dr. Oluwajimi Sodipo, a consultant family physician at LASUTH, confirmed the upsurge in upper respiratory infections, noting that many patients are presenting with identical symptoms across different healthcare facilities.
Dr. Sodipo explained that while many cases might be mild viral infections, the similarities to COVID-19 are undeniable.
“The symptoms are almost identical to COVID-19. We have respiratory tract infections, many of them viral in origin, including COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus,” he explained.
The LASUTH doctor urged the Federal Government to take stronger action by intensifying screening at airports and borders to prevent the potential reintroduction of highly contagious viruses into the community.
Source: Punch Nigeria
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