Death toll from Lassa fever nationwide outbreak now over 79 in 2021, six health workers infected – NCDC
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says over 79 people have died following an outbreak of the Lassa fever in parts of the country since start of the year, 2021.
Latest NCDC report says all states in the country have reported outbreak of the disease which is primary caused by rats.
The Centre added that a total of 3,680 suspected cases had been reported since the beginning of the year, even as it disclosed that six health workers were infected.
Further analysis also revealed that in total for 2021, 14 states had recorded at least one confirmed case across 60 Local Government Areas.
Of all confirmed cases, 84 per cent are from three states -Edo (45 per cent), Ondo (34 per cent) and Taraba (five per cent).
The predominant age group affected is 21 to 30 years. However, the range is between one and 70 years while the median is 29 years.
The male to female ratio for confirmed cases is 1: 0.8.
The report listed number of cases against states to include Edo 1,965; Ondo-709; Taraba 66; Ebonyi 117; Bauchi 65; Plateau 26; Benue 24; Kaduna 42; Enugu 14; Nasarawa 10; and Kogi 113.
Others are Cross River, three; Delta 37; Abia 81; Kwara two; Bayelsa two; Katsina one; Niger one; Ogun three; Oyo two; Rivers nine; Zamfara one; Jigawa eight; Adamawa seven; Gombe nine; Lagos 13; Kano 9; Ekiti three; Yobe four; FCT eight; Imo seven; Kebbi two, Borno two; Anambra five; and Osun two.
The NCDC added that 360 people were currently hospitalised.
It stated that it had sent an emergency alert to states to notify them of the outbreak.
This is as it said that inadequate bed capacities and treatment centres were getting in the way of management of the fever.
The centre also stated that it was faced with overwhelming response activities at the subnational level due to the ongoing pandemic.
