The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has revealed that no fewer than 200 people have died from Lassa fever infection in the last 11 months.
Since the beginning of the year, as of December 3, 8,542 suspected cases, and 1,170 confirmed cases, have been recorded from 28 states and 114 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country.
Lafiya360 reports that the NCDC Director-General, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, in a statement disclosed that the country has continued to record a steady increase in states reporting Lassa fever for reasons not limited to improved surveillance, better community awareness, environmental degradation from climate change and other deleterious human activities in the environment.
The agency further disclosed that while 510 confirmed cases were reported across 17 states and 68 LGAs in 2021, in 2022, Nigeria reported 1,067 confirmed cases across 27 States and 112 LGAs.
However, in 2023, 28 states and 114 LGAs have reported confirmed cases of Lassa fever, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 17.1 per cent.
It said, “Annual outbreaks of Lassa fever also involve the infection and death of healthcare workers. This loss of life is not just a statistic but a significant loss of a loved family member, a spouse, a parent, and often a seasoned healthcare worker and team member. This exacerbates the challenge of insufficient human resources for health in the country.”
The centre, however, said its Technical Working Group (TWG) has implemented strategic measures to enhance coordination, collaboration, and communication, enhancing preparedness and readiness for potential surges in Lassa fever cases.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses. Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.
People get Lassa fever from contact with infected rat poop (faeces) or pee (urine), which can contaminate food or surfaces. A person can also get infected from contact with body fluids of people infected with Lassa virus. This includes sexual contact or exposure to their poop, pee or blood.
Ribavirin, an antiviral drug, has been used with success in Lassa fever patients. It has been shown to be most effective when given early in the course of the illness.