BREAKING: Nigeria records 823 Lassa fever cases, 144 deaths

Nigeria  has recorded 823 confirmed cases of Lassa fever in the country.

According to PUNCH, the country has recorded 823 confirmed cases out of 4,108 suspected cases from 98 local government areas in 24 states in Nigeria.Information Guide Nigeria

This was disclosed in the  Lassa fever epidemiological report for week 12 released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday.

According to the report,  144 persons have succumbed to the disease with a Case Fatality Ratio of 17.5 per cent from January to March 26, 2023.

The report also revealed that 38 healthcare workers have been affected so far in the year.

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As reported by PUNCH, World Health Organisation said  Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses. Humans usually become infected with the Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.NYSC Portal

Though it probably exists in other West African countries as well, Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Nigeria.

The report reads in part: “In week 12, the number of new confirmed cases increased from 38 in week 11 2023 to 39 cases. These were reported from Bauchi, Ondo, Edo, Taraba, Kaduna, and Kogi States.

“Cumulatively from week 1 to week 12, 2023, 144 deaths have been reported with a CFR of 17.5% which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (18.6%).

“In total for 2023, 24 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 98 Local Government Areas,”

According to PUNCH, the report showed that 72 per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from these Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi states

The remaining 28 per cent were reported from three states with confirmed Lassa fever cases.

“The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (Range: 1 to 93 years, Median Age: 32 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.9.“JAMB Result

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