Nigeria loses 151 persons to Lassa fever

 

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has said that Nigeria has lost a total of 151 persons to Lassa fever between January and April 9th 2023.

Confirming this in its latest epidemiological report, the NCDC in its week 14 epidemiological report said the case fatality rate put at 17.4 per cent was lower than the case fatality rate for the same period in 2022 also put at 19.3 per cent.

The agency said already, the disease has spread to 26 states across 101 Local Government Areas, adding that 71 per cent of all confirmed cases were reported from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi states, while 29 per cent were reported from three states with confirmed Lassa fever cases.

The new report further revealed that since the beginning of 2023, 869 confirmed cases were recorded from 26 states and 101 Local Government Areas (LGAs), while 71 per cent of all confirmed cases were reported from three states – Ondo (32 per cent), Edo (28 per cent), and Bauchi (11 per cent).

It further revealed that between April 3 and 9, 2023, 23 confirmed cases were reported from six states – Ondo (30), Edo (31), Bauchi (18), Taraba (28), Enugu (2), and Lagos (2), with three deaths from Bauchi (1) and Taraba (2).

“Cumulatively, from week 1 to week 14 of 2023, 151 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 17.4 per cent, which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (19.3 per cent).

“In total for 2023, 26 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 101 local government areas. The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (Range: 1 to 93 years, Median Age: 32 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.9.

The report also stated that:

“The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (Range: 1 to 93 years, Median Age: 32 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.9.

The number of suspected cases increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2022. No new Healthcare worker was affected in the reporting week 14. National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) activated to coordinate the response activities at all levels.