NCDC alerts Nigerians on spike in Lassa fever cases, deaths

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) alerted of an alarming increase in Lassa fever cases and deaths in the last four weeks, signaling the outbreak’s severity.

Meanwhile, the centre recorded 9,492 suspected cases of Lassa Fever,1,154 confirmed with 190 deaths across the country in 2024.

Six states including Ondo (29.7%), Edo (22.7%), Bauchi (17.9%), Taraba (8.8%), Benue (5.6%), and Ebonyi (4%) make up 89% of the confirmed cases. At the same time, 10 LGAs (Owo, Etsako West, Esan West, Kirfi, Ardo-Kola, Toro, Ose, Akure South, Jalingo, and Idah) accounted for almost 59% of the confirmed cases.

Director General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris disclosed this on Monday in Abuja.

Idris observed that the case fatality rate has consistently remained high at over 13 percent, adding that the agency has noted a rise in the number of suspected cases compared to a similar timeline in 2023, which, however, could be attributed to the increased/enhanced surveillance.

He stated that most cases continue to emerge from endemic areas, like Bauchi, Ondo, Edo, Taraba Ebonyi, and Enugu, underscoring the need for targeted interventions in these states.

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Idris noted that these trends, therefore, demand a coordinated effort to strengthen the response to protect vulnerable populations and reduce the number of cases and, importantly, deaths.

He explained that Lassa fever remains endemic in Nigeria, posing a significant public health risk across all states adding that the disease occurs throughout the year, with peak transmission typically recorded between October and May.

Idris noted that the outbreaks typically occur during the dry season when human exposure to rodents is highest.

He observed that the NCDC conducted a dynamic risk assessment to determine the appropriate emergency activation level, stressing that the risk has been categorized as High and Response Level 2 advised, and efforts to be tailored specifically to the states currently experiencing increased case burden.