The Nigerian Government has revealed that casualties from Lassa fever since January 2021 in Nigeria climbed to 92, after recent deaths recorded in Bauchi and Ebonyi states.
This was disclosed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Tuesday in its report on Lassa fever outbreak for the year, according to NAN.
They added that week 50, covering December 13 to 19 saw Nigeria record 3 more deaths.
What the NCDC is saying
The agency revealed that 2 of the casualties were in Bauchi and another in Ebonyi state, adding that: “Cumulatively from Week 1 to Week 50, 2021, 92 deaths have been reported with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 20.3 per cent, which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2020 (20.7 per cent).”
It also stated that a total of 190 new cases were suspected in 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), but just 10 cases were confirmed in four states, including 2 in Edo, 4 in Ondo, three in Bauchi and one in Ebonyi state.
“In total for 2021, 17 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 66 Local Government Areas.
“Of all confirmed cases, Edo has (43%), Ondo (35%), and Taraba (5%),” it said.
The NCDC added that the predominant age group affected is between 21 and 30 years (range: 1 to 70 years, Median Age: 29 years), adding that the male to female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.9 and the number of suspected cases has decreased compared to that reported for the same period in 2020.
Lassa fever is a haemorrhagic fever, transmitted by infected multi-mammate rats to humans through direct contact with the urine and faeces of the rat carrying the virus, it can also be transmitted by eating contaminated food.