Lassa Fever: NCDC Warns As 16 States Record 244 Cases, 37 Deaths

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has warned that that the country is at a very high risk of increased Lassa fever transmission.

This, the Centre said, is the result of the risk assessment that was recently carried out this month.

The director-general of the NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, who gave the warning in a statement issued yesterday, noted that the risk is due to an unprecedented upward trend in the number of confirmed cases being reported compared to previous years.

He also said the number of states reporting cases have increased compared to previous years, adding that the risk of healthcare worker infections and deaths due to Lassa fever infection have also increased.

The centre’s situation report of January 22, 2023, showed a total of 244 confirmed cases, with 37 deaths and a case fatality rate of 15.1 percent from 16 states.

The states are Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, Benue, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Oyo, Adamawa, Enugu, Imo and FCT.

The report showed that infection and death among the healthcare workers accounted for five and one of the confirmed cases and deaths respectively while highlighting the need for an increased index of suspicion among healthcare workers.

Ifedayo noted that healthcare is a collective responsibility of communities and governments at all levels, “While the NCDC is mandated to lead the prevention, emergency preparedness and response to public health emergencies.