Lassa Fever: Nigeria records seven new cases

Nigeria has recorded seven new cases of Lassa fever across three states of the federation.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) revealed in its latest situation report for week 30 of 2024, spanning 22 to 28 July.

According to the report, the states affected are Edo, Bauchi and Kogi.

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.