Lassa Fever: Nigeria records 784 confirmed cases, 142 deaths

Nigeria reports 142 fatalities and 784 confirmed cases of lasa fever.

In less than three months, the country has recorded 784 confirmed cases of Lassa fever, with 142 fatalities reported in 23 states, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease and Control and Prevention (NCDC).

On Tuesday, the NCDC announced via its official website that infections had been noted since the beginning of the year.

Lassa fever is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever brought on by the Lassa virus, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The rodent Mastomys natalensis is the virus’s natural host (commonly known as the multimammate rat or the African rat).

The virus, which is spread by direct contact with the saliva, blood, urine, or feces of infected rats, can also infect other rodents.

The virus can also be spread by coming into contact with objects, household items, and surfaces that have been exposed to rat-infected blood, saliva, or urine.

It stated that compared to Week 10 of 2023, when there were 70 new confirmed cases, there were only 38 cases in Epidemiological Week 11.

According to the organization, the cases were reported from the states of Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Taraba, Benue, Rivers, Plateau, and Nasarawa.

The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for the entire period of Epidemiological Week 1 to Epidemiological Week 11, 2023, was 18.1%, according to the NCDC, which is lower than the 18.7% CFR for the same period in 2022. 142 deaths were reported overall during this time period.

According to the NCDC, 23 states had at least one confirmed case across 97 local government areas as of 2023.

According to the public health agency, 69% of all newly reported confirmed Lassa fever cases originated in six states, while 71% of cases were reported from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi.

It stated that of the 71%, Ondo reported 32%, Edo reported 29%, and Bauchi reported 10%.

The NCDC reports that the affected age range is primarily between 21 and 30 years old, with a median age of 32.

According to the report, the ratio of men to women among confirmed cases was 1:0.9.

According to the agency, there are more suspected cases now than there were during the same time in 2022.

The NCDC reported that a healthcare professional was impacted in Week 11.

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The multi-partner, multi-sectoral National Lassa Fever Emergency Operations Centre was reportedly activated to coordinate response efforts at all levels.

According to NAN, contact with the blood, urine, feces, vomit, and other bodily fluids of an infected person can result in the person-to-person transmission of Lassa fever.

Lassa fever initially manifests as other common illnesses with fever, like malaria.

Other signs and symptoms include a headache, generalized weakness, a cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pain in the muscles, pain in the chest, and sore throat.

Ear, eye, nose, mouth, and other body opening bleeding are symptoms in severe cases.

Between the time of infection and the onset of disease symptoms, there are three to 21 days.

The chances of a patient surviving are significantly increased by early disease diagnosis and treatment.

Lassa fever NCDC in this article

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