A situation report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) revealed that 806 cases of Lassa fever were recorded across the country in the first quarter of 2024.
Also, the virus killed 150 people within the period, the NCDC report published on its website and analysed by The ICIR showed.
By calculation, this is an average of nine cases and two deaths reported daily within the first 13 weeks of 2024.
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Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness 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.
From Week 1 to 13, the case fatality rate (CFR) of Lassa fever rose 18.6 per cent. This is higher than the CFR for the same period in 2023 (17.5 per cent).
The states with the highest reported cases are Ondo, Edo, Bauchi and Taraba states, with 192, 179, 127 and 95 cases, respectively.
However, the death rates were predominant in Bauchi state (28 deaths), Kogi state (24 deaths) and Edo state (23 deaths).
According to the NCDC, “27 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 125 Local Government Areas in 2024. 62 per cent of all confirmed cases were recorded from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi, with Ondo State accounting for 24 per cent, Edo 22 per cent, and Bauchi 16 per cent.”
According to the report, 32 health workers were infected within the first quarter.
The NCDC noted that the National Lassa Fever Multi-partner, Multi-sectoral Incident Management System had been activated to coordinate response at all levels at the Emergency Operations Centre.
The ICIR reported that between January 1 and February 28, 2024, 477 cases were confirmed by the NCDC. This means that 330 cases were added in March.
The agency stated that some challenges in the fight against Lassa fever, including the late presentation of cases leading to increased CFR and poor health-seeking behaviour.
It stressed that the high cost of treatment and clinical management of Lassa fever, as well as poor environmental sanitation and awareness in high-burden communities, are leading causes.
The ICIR reported Nigeria might have recorded its highest number of Lassa fever cases in 2023, with 8,542 suspected cases, 1,170 confirmed cases, and 200 deaths across 28 states.
Kehinde Ogunyale tells stories by using data to hold power into account. You can send him a mail at [email protected] (jameskennyogunyale@gmail) or Twitter: Prof_KennyJames
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected]