According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 154 deaths in Nigeria due to Lassa fever so far this year, Entrepreneurng report.
The NCDC reported 897 confirmed cases of Lassa fever from 26 states and 103 local government units between January 1 and April 23, 2023, according to its 16th-week Lassa virus situation report.
During the time period under review, a total of 4,908 suspected cases were noted. The public health institution reported that the outbreak’s case-fatality ratio was 17.2% as of the most recent death toll.
The Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses, is said to be the cause of Lassa fever, an acute viral hemorrhagic sickness, according to the World Health Organization. The most common way for humans to contract the Lassa virus is through contact with food or household items that have been tainted by the urine or feces of infected Mastomys rats. In some places of West Africa, the rodent population is endemic to the disease.
There are several West African nations where lassa fever is known to be endemic, including Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Nigeria.
According to the research, Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi states reported 72% of all confirmed Lassa fever cases, and 23 states with confirmed instances of the disease reported 28%. Ondo reported 32%, Edo reported 29%, and Bauchi reported 11% of the 72% verified cases.
“The most affected age range is between the ages of 21 and 30 (range: 1 to 93 years, median age: 32 years).” For confirmed cases, the male to female ratio is 10:9. When compared to information reported for the same period in 2022, there were more suspected cases.”
“In the reporting week 16, no new healthcare workers were impacted. In order to coordinate the response efforts at all levels, the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Emergency Operations Centre was activated, according to the report.”
The WHO estimates that the overall CFR for Lassa fever is 1%, but that among hospitalized patients with a severe clinical presentation of Lassa fever, the CFR is closer to 15%. Early supportive care combined with symptomatic therapy and rehydration increases survival.
Eighty percent of those who contract the Lassa virus don’t exhibit any symptoms. In one out of every five infections, the virus damages many organs, including the liver, spleen, and kidneys, causing serious illness.
Part of the report’s conclusion said that “Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings in the absence of adequate infection prevention and control measures.
“These three states (Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi) accounted for 72% of all confirmed Lassa fever cases, while the remaining 28% were reported from the other 23 states with confirmed Lassa virus cases. Ondo reported 32%, Edo reported 29%, and Bauchi reported 11% of the 72% verified cases.”
In conclusion, the afflicted age range is primarily between the ages of 21 and 30 (range: 1 to 93 years, median age: 32 years). For confirmed cases, the male to female ratio is 10:9. In comparison to the information provided for the same period in 2022, “the number of suspected cases increased.”
Source: PunchÂ
