Lassa Fever Cases Surge In Ondo, Edo

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised an alarm over a surge in Lassa fever cases in Ondo and Edo states, as the country grapples with a rising death toll from the deadly disease.

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In its latest Lassa Fever Situation Report, the NCDC confirmed nine new cases in week 39 of 2024, with the majority of infections emerging from Ondo and Edo, which account for more than 50% of the new confirmed cases.

The agency said that this marked an increase from four cases reported in  previous week, raising the total number of infection and deaths in the year to alarming levels.

The NCDC revealed that “the country is witnessing a surge in Lassa fever cases, with the total number of infections in 2024 rising to 1,018 across 28 states.

“As of week 39 (September 23-29), 172 deaths have been reported, reflecting a slight increase in the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) to 16.9 per cent, compared to 16.8 per cent in the same period in 2023.”

It highlighted that the new confirmed cases were recorded in Ondo and Edo states, two of the three states that account for 68 per cent of all confirmed cases in 2024.

It noted that “Ondo reported 28 per cent of the cases, followed by Edo with 23 per cent and Bauchi, 17 per cent.”

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The NCDC said that the predominant age group affected by the disease ranged from 31 to 40 years, with an equal number of male and female patients.

It said that no healthcare workers were affected during the reporting week, a positive sign amid heightened number of cases.

The Nigerian public health agency said that in spite of nationwide efforts to curb spread of the disease, the increasing number of deaths is worrisome.
It attributed the high CFR to late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour and inadequate environmental sanitation in high-burden communities.

It noted that the challenges, coupled with limited access to treatment, were posing significant threats to the country’s ability to reduce fatalities.

The agency said the National Lassa Fever Technical Working Group (TWG) had continued to coordinate response activities, while alerts were sent through the Nigeria Preparedness and Readiness Alert System (NPRAS) on ongoing efforts.

The NCDC added that its partners had rolled out various interventions to bolster efforts toward tackling the menace.
Lassa fever, identified by the World Health Organisation as pathogen with high potential for severe outbreaks, poses growing threat as climate change puts an estimated 700 million people at risk.

Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, muscle pain, and in severe cases, facial swelling and bleeding, as survivors often suffer from long-term complications, such as deafness.