Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire
Lassa fever: 2 more deaths recorded, as new cases reach 222 nationwide – NCDC
Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) says Nigeria recorded 222 fresh cases of the Lassa fever across the country, with two new deaths in one week across 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The NCDC which stated this in a weekly situation report released, Monday, said 69 persons are currently undergoing treatment in treatment centres.
“There is an increase in the number of recorded confirmed cases of Lassa fever across Nigeria. The number of suspected cases has increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2021.
“The predominant group affected is 31 to 40 years. The male to female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.9. One new health worker affected from Benue state in the reporting week.”
“Two deaths were reported from Benue and Taraba.
“51 new cases were recorded in Bauchi; 76 in Edo; 46 in Ondo; three in Benue; nine in Taraba; 11 in Kaduna; six in Plateau; three in Kogi; one in Cross River; four in Ebonyi; two in Gombe; one in Katsina; four in the Federal Capital Territory FCT; two in Nasarawa; one in Rivers; and two in Enugu,” the NCDC said in its report.
The agency added that it has deployed a national response team to Nasarawa and FCT, distributed response commodities to states and treatment centres, and implemented Lassa fever environmental response campaigns in high burden states.
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic (excessive bleeding) illness that is transmitted to humans through contact with food, household items contaminated by infected rodents, or contaminated persons.
Symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.
