The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 29 persons have lost their lives with 195 confirmed cases of Lassa fever reported in 11 states of the federation.
Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General, NCDC, who disclosed this in a statement he signed on Saturday in Abuja, explained that the figures were generated as at Friday, January 24. Ihekweazu, said out of the confirmed cases, 89 per cent were from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi States.
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The NCDC boss said that the increased number of cases at this time of the year was not unusual due to ecological factors. He said that in response to the increasing number of Lassa fever cases across the states in the country, NCDC activated a National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) on Friday to coordinate response activities.
Ihekweazu said that the EOC includes representatives from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Environment, World Health Organisation, UNICEF, US Centres for Disease Control, and other partners.
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, being addressed the Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu (middle) and the laboratory team during his visit to the NCDC National Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa, Abuja recently. He said that NCDC would continue to support states in strengthening their preparedness and response capacity.
He added that over the last three weeks, NCDC had deployed Rapid Response Teams to support five of the affected states.
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According to him, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, led a high-level delegation to Kano State on Saturday, following the deaths of two health workers infected with Lassa fever.
The NCDC DG added that the centre had rapidly increased risk communications and community engagement activities to ensure that Nigerians were aware of the risks of Lassa fever and measures to protect themselves.
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