NCDC raises alarm over rising Lassa fever deaths

•Announces 1,154 confirmed cases, 190 deaths in 2024

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has raised the alarm over increasing Lassa fever cases and deaths in the last four weeks, highlighting the severity.

The centre said it recorded 9,492 suspected cases and 1,154 confirmed cases with 190 deaths across the country in 2024. Six states, including Ondo 29.7 per cent; Edo 22.7 per cent; Bauchi, 17.9 per cent; Taraba, 8.8 per cent; Benue 5.6 per cent; and Ebonyi, four per cent to make up 89 per cent of confirmed cases, while 10 local councils, Owo, Etsako West, Esan West, Kirfi, Ardo-Kola, Toro, Ose, Akure South, Jalingo and Idah, accounted for almost 59 per cent of the confirmed cases.

Director General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, who disclosed this, yesterday, in Abuja, observed that the fatality rate had consistently remained high at over 13 per cent, adding that the agency had noted a rise in the number of suspected cases compared to a similar timeline in 2023, which however, could be attributed to enhanced surveillance.

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

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

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

According to him, the outbreaks usually occur during the dry season, when human exposure to rodents is highest. He advised Nigerians to always keep their environment clean, especially their homes, markets, dump sites to reduce breeding grounds for rats, block all holes in their house to prevent the entry of rats and other rodents and cover their dustbins and dispose of refuse or waste properly.