The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC has noted a raise in Lassa fever cases in the last weeks of 2023 with lower casualties contrast to previous year.
The Centre indicated that in week 51 of 2023, the number of newly confirmed Lassa fever cases surged significantly from 10 in week 50 to 26 cases, with Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi States accounting for 77 per cent of the new cases.
This was released on NCDC’s official website in Abuja.
“These cases were reported in Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba and Plateau States.”
“Cumulatively, from week 1 to week 51 of 2023, a total of 215 deaths have been reported, resulting in a case fatality rate of 17.5 per cent.”
“This figure is slightly lower than the record for the same period in 2022, which was 17.9 per cent. Throughout the year 2023, Lassa fever cases were reported in 28 states across 121 Local Government Areas.”
“Specifically, Ondo State reported 35 per cent of the confirmed cases, Edo reported 28 per cent and Bauchi reported 14 per cent,” it stated.
“It said that the median age of confirmed cases was 32 years. The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1 and 0.9, with two healthcare workers affected in week 51.”
To address the situation, multi-sectoral Public Health Emergency Operation Centers (PHEOC) has been activated at the national level and in the affected states.
Challenges faced in combating Lassa fever include the late presentation of cases, leading to an increase in the case fatality rate.
“Poor environmental sanitation conditions and low awareness are observed in high-burden communities; in addition to poor health-seeking behavior due to the high cost of treatment and clinical management of the disease.”
The statement identified symptoms of the disease, including fever, headache, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, myalgia, chest pain, and unexplained bleeding/hemorrhage.
