The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reports that the Lassa fever outbreak has caused 229 deaths so far this year. A recent spike was observed, with 25 new infections confirmed within a single week across Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Kogi, and Cross River states.
Data from Epidemiological Week 28 shows confirmed infections increased from 14 to 25 compared to the previous week. To date, there have been 963 confirmed cases out of 6,554 suspected incidents, resulting in a case fatality rate of 23.8 per cent, which is notably higher than last year’s 18.7 per cent. Notably, one healthcare worker contracted the virus during this period, highlighting the dangers faced by medical staff.
The infection has spread across 114 Local Government Areas in 23 states. Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo, and Benue represent 86 per cent of all nationwide cases. Individuals aged 21 to 30 are the most frequent victims, with the median age of all patients being 30 years old.
The NCDC links the high mortality rate to delayed medical visits, the financial burden of treatment, poor sanitation, and limited public awareness. To combat this, the agency is providing training and resources to frontline staff alongside partners like the World Health Organization. They have also introduced a protection plan for medical personnel and are pushing for earlier diagnosis to improve patient survival rates.
