Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed the deaths of up to 45 persons in an outbreak of yellow fever in the country which is currently active in states including Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Zamfara, Kebbi, Nasarawa and Niger.
According to a situation report, nine out of the forty-five deaths were confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) reference laboratory in Dakar, Senegal.
The report revealed that, Total number of deaths in all cases (among suspected, probable and confirmed cases) is 45, and 9 among confirmed cases Case fatality rate for all cases (including suspected, probable and confirmed) is 12.6 percent, and 27.3 percent for confirmed cases.
The current outbreak started in Ifelodun LGA, Kwara State on September 12 2017, and base on the report, a total of 358 suspected yellow fever cases have been line-listed.
In the reporting week, one new case from Borgu LGA Niger State was confirmed by the WHO Reference Laboratory, Dakar, which is the first confirmed case in Niger.
“Of the 358 suspected cases, 230 (64.2 percent), Predominant age groups affected are 20 years and below accounting, for 67.8 percent while male to female ratio is 1.6 to 1. "
However, 16 states of the country have also reported suspected cases. They include Abia, Borno, Kogi, Kwara, Kebbi, Plateau, Zamfara, Enugu, Oyo, Anambra and Edo. Others are Lagos, Kano, Nasarawa, Katsina and Niger states.
