Nigeria records increased deaths, fewer cases of Lassa Fever- NCDC

Nigeria has recorded a diminution successful caller confirmed cases of Lassa fever, though fatalities linked to the illness stay troublingly high.

Latest information released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) connected Wednesday, shows that 3 caller confirmed cases were recorded successful epidemiological week 34, compared to 5 cases reported successful the erstwhile week.

The latest infections were identified successful Ondo and Edo States.

Situation truthful acold successful 2025

Cumulatively, Nigeria has reported 857 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 160 deaths successful 2025.

This represents a lawsuit fatality complaint of 18.7 per cent, which is higher than the 17.1 per cent recorded during the aforesaid play successful 2024.

So acold this year, 21 states crossed 106 section authorities areas person documented astatine slightest 1 confirmed lawsuit of the disease.

The bulk of infections person truthful acold travel from 5 states.

Ondo State accounted for 33 per cent of each confirmed cases, followed by Bauchi with 23 per cent, Edo with 17 per cent, Taraba with 14 per cent, and Ebonyi with 3 per cent.

Together, these 5 states contributed 90 per cent of the nationalist total, portion the remaining 16 states with confirmed cases made up conscionable 10 per cent.

Lassa Fever

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic unwellness transmitted to humans chiefly done interaction with nutrient oregon household items contaminated by rodents.

The illness often begins with fever, wide weakness, and headaches. Other symptoms whitethorn see sore throat, thorax pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain.

In terrible cases, it tin advancement to bleeding, trouble breathing, and organ failure.

The NCDC noted that young adults stay the astir affected by the outbreak.

The predominant property radical of confirmed cases falls betwixt 21 and 30 years, with the median property being 30 years.

The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases stands astatine 1 to 0.8, reflecting a somewhat higher load among men. Encouragingly, nary caller wellness idiosyncratic infections were recorded successful week 34.

National effect and activities

The NCDC-led multi-sectoral Technical Working Group continued to coordinate effect efforts astatine nationalist and sub-national levels.

During the reporting week, the bureau and its partners precocious respective activities. These included ongoing objective absorption grooming for Lassa fever fellows successful institutions specified arsenic ISTH successful Edo State and FMC Owo successful Ondo State, supported by Georgetown University and the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC).

Lagos State distributed thermometers to each identified contacts for monitoring, portion Ondo and Edo States conducted after-action reviews of caller outbreak seasons.

In addition, the NCDC launched an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) e-learning platform, with enactment from the DRASA Health Trust and the Global Fund.

NCDC said 10 nationalist accelerated effect teams were deployed to antithetic states to supply on-site enactment utilizing a One Health approach.

It added that idiosyncratic protective equipment, Ribavirin, disinfectants, and different indispensable commodities were distributed to attraction centres, portion hazard connection campaigns were expanded done media and assemblage sensitisation initiatives.

Despite these efforts, respective challenges proceed to undermine the response.

The NCDC observed that galore patients contiguous precocious for treatment, a origin contributing to the persistently precocious fatality rate.

1. Homepage
2. Politics
3. Nigeria records increased deaths, fewer cases of Lassa Fever- NCDC