Within the first two weeks in 2022, the latest situation report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has shown that 11 people have died from Lassa fever across the country.
The report, which was released on Thursday, noted that 48 new infections were recorded in reporting week two, spanning January 10 to 16.
According to the report, these new infections were recorded in Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Benue, Kogi, Oyo, Taraba and Ebonyi states.
Cumulatively, from the first week to the second week of 2022, 96 people have been infected by Lassa fever across 27 Local Government Areas in 11 states of the federation.
NCDC noted in the report that the number of fatalities were reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 11.5 per cent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2021, 17.4 per cent.
The report further revealed that the trio of Edo, Bauchi and Ondo states accounted for 74 per cent of all the confirmed cases.
Edo State in the South-south topped with 31 per cent, followed by Bauchi State in the North-east and Ondo in the South-west with 22 and 21 per cent respectively.
While NCDC disclosed that there are currently 465 suspected cases, it noted that the number of suspected cases as of week two of 2022, has increased, compared to that reported for the same period in 2021.
The disease centre added that three new health care workers from Edo State were infected with the disease in the reporting week.
Lassa Fever
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic (excessive bleeding) illness that is transmitted to humans through contact with food, household items contaminated by infected rodents or persons.
The vector of the disease is a rat specie called the multimammate rat. The virus is transmitted from the excreta or urine of the vector to humans, and humans to humans, which often propagate the disease.
General 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.
