Lassa fever outbreak claims 72 lives in Nigeria

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a surge in Lassa fever cases and deaths across 21 states of the country. According to the NCDC, 411 confirmed cases and 72 fatalities have been recorded from week one to week six of 2024.

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease that is transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their excreta, or through contact with bodily fluids of infected persons. The symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, chest pain, and bleeding from various body parts in severe cases.

The NCDC said that the number of new confirmed cases increased from 70 in week five to 83 in week six, with nine deaths recorded in week six, spanning Feb. 5 to Feb. 11. The agency also said that 65 percent of all the confirmed cases were from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi states, while 35 percent were reported from 17 other states.

The NCDC said that the predominant age group affected by Lassa fever was 21-30 years, and two new health workers were affected in the reporting week. The agency said that the National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System had been activated to coordinate response at all levels at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).

The agency also listed some of the challenges it faced in its fight against Lassa fever across the country, such as late presentation of the cases and poor health-seeking behavior due to the high cost of treatment and clinical management. Other challenges, it said, were poor environmental sanitation and poor awareness observed in high-burden communities.

The NCDC urged the public to take preventive measures to avoid contracting or spreading the disease. These include minimizing exposure to rodents and their urine or feces, sealing up holes or gaps in homes or buildings to prevent rodents from entering, washing hands frequently with soap and water, especially after touching potentially contaminated surfaces or objects, storing food in sealed containers and cooking it thoroughly, and avoiding eating food that may have been contaminated by rodents.

The NCDC also advised people to seek medical attention promptly if they develop any symptoms of Lassa fever and to report any suspected cases to the nearest health facility or call the toll-free number 0800-970000-10. The agency said that early diagnosis and treatment can improve the chances of survival and reduce the risk of complications.

The NCDC said that it was working with the World Health Organization (WHO), the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and other partners to support the affected states in strengthening their response capacities and enhancing surveillance activities. The agency also said that it was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and other stakeholders to implement rodent control strategies and environmental sanitation measures.

The NCDC said that it was committed to ending the Lassa fever outbreak and protecting the health of Nigerians. The agency appealed to the public to cooperate with the health authorities and follow the recommended guidelines to prevent and control the disease.