In 99 Local Government Areas and 25 states, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention has identified 846 cases of Lassa fever.
The majority of those infected are between the ages of 21 and 30, and the confirmed cases have a male to female ratio of 10:9.
The Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses, is the primary cause of Lassa fever, an acute viral hemorrhagic sickness.
The most common way for humans to contract the Lassa virus is by contact with food or household goods that have been tainted by the urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. In some regions of West Africa, the disease is endemic among the rodent population.
Lassa fever is still a significant public health issue in Nigeria because of the stated factors of inadequate environmental sanitation, low awareness, and late patient presentation.
The NCDC, in its week 13 situation report on Thursday, said the suspected cases is now 4,338 and the disease has killed no fewer than 148 persons in the country.
With the current death toll, the agency noted that the case-fatality ratio of the outbreak stood at 17.5 per cent.
The report showed that the 23 new cases recorded from March 27 to April 2, 2023, were recorded from Bauchi, Ondo, Edo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Oyo and Kebbi States.
“Cumulatively from week one to week 13, 2023, 148 deaths have been reported with a case
fatality rate of 17.5 per cent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (19.1 per cent).
“In total for 2023, 25 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 99 Local Government Areas.
“Seventy-two of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from these three states (Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi) while 28 per cent were reported from four states with confirmed.
Lassa Fever Deaths Reaches 178, Cases Now 989
Lassa fever cases. Of the 72 per cent confirmed cases, Ondo reported 32 per cent, Edo 29 per cent, and Bauchi 11 per cent.”
So far this year, the disease has infected 39 healthcare workers in Nigeria.
The NCDC noted that the National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre has been activated to coordinate the response activities at all levels.
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