Lassa fever cases in Nigeria have jumped to 857 and 164 people have so far died from the disease in the first seven months of 2022, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
The NCDC revealed this in its latest Lassa fever situation report for week 29.
It said the cases were distributed across 24 states and 99 local government areas in the country, adding that 54 healthcare workers had been infected with the disease.
The News Agency of Nigeria quoted the NCDC as saying, “A breakdown indicated that of all confirmed cases, Ondo has 30 per cent Edo, 26 per cent and Bauchi, 14 per cent. Cumulatively from week 1 to week 29, 2022, 164 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate of 19.1 per cent, which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2021, 23.7 per cent.
“In total for 2022, 24 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 99 Local Government Areas. Of all confirmed cases, 70 per cent are from Ondo, 30 per cent from Edo, 26 per cent, and Bauchi, 14 per cent.
“The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years range: 0 to 90 years, Median Age: 30 years. The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8. The number of suspected cases has increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2021. One new healthcare worker was affected in Ondo State,” it said.
The Lassa virus is transmitted to man by infected multimammate rats and humans become infected from direct contact with the urine and faeces of the rat carrying the virus. People also contract the disease by touching soiled objects, eating contaminated food, or exposure to open cuts or sores.
Secondary transmission from person to person can also occur due to exposure to the virus in the blood, tissue, urine, faeces or other bodily secretions of an infected patient.
