NCDC’s Report Shows Lassa Fever Is Growing In Nigeria

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Lassa Fever situation report for week nine shows that the virus is still spreading in Nigeria.

According to the report covering the period from January 5 to March 5, 2023, there are 676 confirmed cases of Lassa Fever spread across 89 local government areas in 22 Nigerian states.

According to the report, 109 people died in 2023, compared to 104 people who died in 2022.

Given the current mortality rate, the public health institution calculated the fatality case ratio of the outbreak to be 16.1%.

According to the NCDC, 72% of cases were recorded in Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi, but only 28% of cases were reported in two states with confirmed cases of Lassa fever.

Of the 72% verified cases, Ondo reported 33% of them, Edo reported 29%, and Bauchi reported 10%.

The report read in part;

In week 9, the number of new confirmed cases decreased from 59 in week 8 2023 to 40 cases. These were reported from Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo, and Ebonyi States.

Cumulatively from week 1 to week 9, 2023, 109 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 16.1 percent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (18.6 percent).

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 10.8.

The number of suspected cases increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2022.

One new Healthcare worker was affected in the reporting week nine.

The Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses, causes Lassa fever, an acute viral hemorrhagic illness, according to the World Health Organization.

The most common way for people to become infected with the Lassa virus is through contact with food or household objects tainted by the faeces or urine of infected Mastomys rats. The disease is endemic and affects rodent populations throughout West Africa.

Lashing fever is endemic in eight West African countries, according to reports: Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Nigeria.

According to reports, the epidemic in Nigeria is being driven by a lack of awareness, a sanitary environment, and late case presentations.