NCDC: Lassa Fever Kills 110 in Two Months, 35 New Confirmed Cases in One Week
The Nigerian Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) has confirmed that the deadly Lassa Fever virus has killed 110 Nigerians in the first two months of 2018.
In the latest update with corresponding maps released yesterday, the centre also disclosed that there are 35 new confirmed cases of Lassa fever in one week.
It also noted 18 States have been affected so far with Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi still dominating prevalence of Lassa fever pandemic.
Part of the statement read: “In the reporting week nine, (February 26-March 4,2018), 35 new confirmed cases were recorded from five States Edo (19), Ondo (five), Bauchi (one), Ebonyi (nine), and Plateau (one), with seven new deaths in confirmed cases from three states Ondo (two), Edo (two), and Ebonyi (three)
“From January 1 to March 4, 2018, a total of 1121 suspected cases. Of these, 353 are confirmed positive, eight are probable, 723 are negative (not a case) and 37 are awaiting laboratory results (pending). 18 States are active (Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Imo, Plateau, Lagos, Taraba, Delta, Osun, Rivers, FCT, Gombe and Ekiti) -
“Since the onset of the 2018 outbreak, there have been 110 deaths: 78 in positive-confirmed cases, 8 in probable cases and 24 in negative cases. Case Fatality Rate in confirmed and probable cases is 23.8 per cent.”
The NCDC also stated that two health workers were confirmed positive this week in Ebonyi State, adding that “cumulatively, 16 health care workers have been affected in six states –Ebonyi (9), Nasarawa (one), Kogi (one), Benue (one), Ondo (1) and Edo (three) with four deaths in Ebonyi (three) and Kogi (one)
NCDC also disclosed the predominant age-group affected to be between 21-40 years (Range: nine months to 92 years, Median Age: 34 years) with the male to female ratio for confirmed cases is 2:1
According to the Centre, 85 per cent of all confirmed cases are from Edo (44 per cent) Ondo (25 per cent) and Ebonyi (16 per cent)states with cases currently on admission this weekend at Irrua Specialist Hospital (35), FMC Owo (18) and FETH Abakiliki (16) all isolation beds at the treatment facilities occupied.
“National RRT team (NCDC staff and NFELTP residents) batch B continues response support in
Ebonyi, Ondo and Edo States. A total of 3,126 contacts have been identified from 18 active states. Of these 1586 are currently being followed up, 1485 have completed 21 days follow up and 21 of the 47 symptomatic contacts have tested positive from three states (Edo-11, Ondo-seven and Ebonyi-three).
“WHO and NCDC has scaled up response at National and State levels. Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine Germany is currently supporting ISTH, NRL and LUTH Laboratories with testing reagents. NCDC distributed response commodities -PPEs, Ribavirin (injection and tablets), beds, body bags and hand sanitizers to FMC Owo, FETH Abakiliki, Niger and Ekiti states in the reporting week,” the statement read.
NCDC said it was collaborating with ALIMA and MSF in Edo, Ondo and Anambra States to support case management and has deployed teams to four Benin Republic border states (Kebbi, Kwara, Niger and Oyo) for enhanced surveillance activities.