The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported 99 new suspected and confirmed cases of Lassa fever between September 23 and 29.
From January to September, the latest situation report shows that a total of 8,411 suspected cases, 1,018 confirmed cases and 172 deaths have been reported in 128 local government areas (LGAs) in 28 states.
According to the report, 68 percent of all confirmed cases of Lassa fever in 2024 were reported in three states: Ondo, Edo and Bauchi, while 32 percent were reported in 25 states.
Of the 1,018 confirmed cases, Ondo State tops the list with 280 cases, followed by Edo and Bauchi with 236 and 171 cases respectively.
More details
The NCDC noted that the number of suspected cases increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2023.
Although no new healthcare workers were affected in the reporting week, 35 cases were reported among healthcare workers alone in 2024.
He added that the predominant age group affected by Lassa fever is 31 to 40 years.
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The NCDC also highlighted that challenges with the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria include: late presentation of cases leading to an increase in the case fatality rate (CFR), which measures the severity of the disease.
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Others are poor behavior in seeking medical care due to the high cost of Lassa fever treatment and clinical management, poor environmental sanitation conditions observed in high burden communities, and lack of awareness observed in communities with high load.
Lassa fever
Lassa fever, a disease also known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, is primarily transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or feces.
The disease is endemic in West Africa, including Nigeria, where the Mastomys rat, a species of rat that is a natural carrier of the virus, is very common.