Alert on Lassa Fever as NCDC records Casualties

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed that 20 health workers had been infected with the Lassa fever since the beginning of the year, while the death toll had increased to 48.

The agency disclosed this in the its latest Lassa fever situation report, which was published on its website on Sunday.

“Maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever, be vigilant and look out for symptoms of Lassa fever. Not all fevers are malaria,” NCDC appealed to health workers.

Since the last outbreak of the disease in 2016, the NCDC noted that there had been an increase in the number of recurring cases. In 2019, the centre noted that a total of 796 cases were reported, while in 2020, a total of 1,165 cases were confirmed during the height of the so called pandemic. The NCDC also confirmed a total of 4,632 suspected cases in 2021.

Analysis of the latest situation report revealed that 48 deaths and 20 infected health workers had been reported in the new outbreak in the country.

The centre also noted that 513 suspected cases had been reported out of which 66 were confirmed in the laboratory.

The NCDC stated, “The number of suspected cases has increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2021.

“Of all the confirmed cases, 75 per cent are from Edo, Bauchi and Ondo states. The predominant age group affected is between 21 and 30 years. The states highlighted by the NCDC with suspected number of cases are Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Benue, Oyo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Kogi, Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau, Cross River, Borno, Anambra, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Kebbi, Ogun, Kwara, Lagos, Delta, Gombe, FCT, Nasarawa, Rivers and Enugu. The Federal Ministry of Environment is also implementing a Lassa fever environmental response campaign in high burden states.”

 It added, “Lassa fever presents initially like any other febrile illness such as malaria. Its symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth and other body openings.

“The time between infection and the appearance of symptoms of the disease is three to 21 days. Early treatment and diagnosis increase the chances of survival.”