Lassa Fever cases rise as Nigeria enters week 41 of 2024

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a concerning increase in Lassa fever cases as Nigeria navigates epidemiological week 41 of 2024.

In week 41, 10 new confirmed cases were reported, compared to just seven in the previous week.

The NCDC said this in its latest Lassa Fever Situation Report, published on its official website.

The Public Health Agency said that the new cases had been recorded across Ondo, Edo, Benue, and Taraba states, highlighting a worrying trend as the nation grapples with the virus.

Cumulatively, the agency said that there had been 174 reported deaths this year, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 16.8 percent.

It said that this was slightly lower than the 17.2 percent CFR reported during the same period in 2023.

“The total number of confirmed cases has now risen to 8,569 across 28 states and 129 local government areas.

“Notably, 68 percent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases in 2024 have originated from three states: Ondo 28 percent, Edo 23 percent, and Bauchi 17 percent.

“The predominant age group affected is between 31 and 40 years, and there is an equal gender distribution among confirmed cases, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.,” it said.

The NCDC, however, said that no new healthcare workers were reported to be affected during week 41, reflecting ongoing efforts to safeguard medical personnel amidst the outbreak.

It said that the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Technical Working Group continued to coordinate response activities, focusing on robust contact tracing and community engagement.

According to the NCDC, the challenges remain, including inadequate funding for preparedness activities and poor health-seeking behaviour in affected communities due to the high costs associated with treatment.

It said that environmental sanitation conditions in high-burden areas also required urgent attention to mitigate the spread of the virus.

“Efforts are underway to improve public awareness and readiness through various initiatives, including risk communication strategies, training sessions for healthcare providers, and ongoing community engagement campaigns,” it said.

As the outbreak continues, stakeholders underlined the importance of timely reporting and seeking medical care to reduce the impact of Lassa fever across the nation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lassa fever has been identified by the World Health Organisation as a pathogen with high potential for severe outbreaks.

It poses a growing threat as climate change puts an estimated 700 million people at risk.

Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, muscle pain, and in severe cases, facial swelling and bleeding. Survivors often suffer from long-term complications such as deafness.

As Nigeria battles the Lassa fever outbreak, public health experts said that concerted efforts are required from both the government and the general public to avert further loss of lives.