While no deaths were recorded from Lassa fever in the reporting week, NCDC noted that 163 deaths were reported in 2024 with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 17.0 per cent, lower than the 17.3 per cent recorded for the same period in 2023.
It stated that 66 per cent of all confirmed cases in 2024 were reported from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi, while 34 per cent were reported from 25 states.
“In total for 2024, 28 states have recorded at least one confirmed case of Lassa fever across 125 Local Government Areas,” it noted.
Lassa fever
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic (excessive bleeding) illness that is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rodents or contaminated persons.
Its symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.
Challenges
NCDC, in the report, highlighted some of its challenges in the fight against Lassa fever.
The challenges include the late presentation of cases leading to an increase in CFR, and poor health-seeking behaviour due to the high cost of treatment and clinical management of Lassa fever.
Others are poor environmental sanitation conditions observed in high-burden communities, and poor awareness observed in high-burden communities.
Source: Premium News