Ondo, Edo lead as Lassa fever cases rise

The number of confirmed Lassa fever cases in Nigeria rose to 244 in the first three weeks of 2023.

The country also recorded 18 new deaths from the viral infection from January 16 to 22; bringing the total death toll to 37.

This is according to the Lassa fever situation report for week three obtained from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Sunday.

The cases were confirmed in 16 states and 50 Local Government Areas with a Case Fatality Ratio of 15.1 per cent.

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Meanwhile, the number of suspected cases of the infection is now 939, which is higher than the suspected cases for the same period in 2022.

The NCDC report read in part, “In week three, the number of new confirmed cases increased from 77 in week two, 2023 to 137 cases.

“These were reported from Ondo, Edo, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Plateau, Kogi, Anambra, Delta, FCT, Adamawa, and Enugu States.

“Cumulatively from week one to week three, 2023, 37 deaths have been reported with a CFR of 15.1 per cent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (18.8 per cent).

“In total for 2023, 16 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 50 Local Government Areas.

“Seventy-nine per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from these three states (Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi), while 21 per cent were reported from 13 states with confirmed Lassa fever cases.”

Edo State

The Edo State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akoria Obehi, has said 40 persons, including 26 adults and 14 children, who were confirmed with the Lassa fever disease are still on admission at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.

Akoria stated on Sunday that the patients are currently receiving medical care and are responding to treatment.

She said the state has now recorded a total of 115 confirmed cases and 13 deaths from the disease, adding that the confirmed cases are spread across 11 local government councils in the state.