The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that it has recorded an additional 1,018 cases of Lassa fever from the 8,411 suspected cases received in the country from the beginning of January until the end of September 2024 in 28 states and 128 local government areas.
According to the case report released on Friday by the NCDC, it was reported that within the period, the NSCDC had recorded 172 deaths with a Case Fatality Rate of 16.9 per cent.
According to the NCDC, in week 39, the number of new confirmed cases increased from four in epidemiology week 38, 2024, to nine. These were reported in Ondo and Edo States.
It was explained that in the total calculations of the cases from week one to 39, 2024, 172 deaths were reported with a CFR of 16.9%, which is marginally higher than the CFR for the same period in 2023 (16.8%). The NCDC noted that in total for 2024, 28 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 128 LGAs.”
Providing details of the high-hit state, the report disclosed that 68 per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi. In comparison, 32 per cent were reported from 25 states with confirmed Lassa fever cases.
Futther details show that of the 68 per cent confirmed cases, Ondo reported 28 per cent, Edo 23 per cent, and Bauchi 17 per cent. The predominant age group affected is 31-40 years (Range: 1 to 98 years, Median Age: 32 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:1. The number of suspected cases increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2023.
On a positive note, the NCDC noted that no new healthcare worker was affected in the cases reported in week 39. It was also noted that the National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group has continued to coordinate the response activities at all levels.
The World Health Organisation has stated that Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses.
The disease is endemic in the rodent population in parts of West Africa.
Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.
Humans usually become infected with the Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.
