Government Warns Of Impending Surge In Lassa Fever Cases

The Federal Government has warned of an impending surge in cases of Lassa fever in the country.

Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, gave the warning at a news conference in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, on Wednesday

Idris said that although the country had experienced a decline in cases of various diseases, it is approaching the Lassa fever season, which typically occurs annually.

“Given the seasonal nature of Lassa fever, we anticipate a potential increase in cases over the next few months.

“As such, we are proactively intensifying our preparedness efforts to mitigate impact of the expected surge,” he said.

He said that the country had reported 7,973 suspected Lassa fever cases, with 982 confirmed cases and 168 deaths, resulting in a 17.1 per cent case fatality rate.

“Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever transmitted through rodents, causing fever, bleeding, and death,” he said.

He announced a decline in disease outbreaks across the country, with a significant reduction in reported yellow fever, diphtheria, and cholera cases.

He said that as of September, 1,728 suspected yellow fever cases had been reported, of which 43 tested positive.

He stated that 36 states of the federation and the FCT had been affected, and 496 local government areas had reported cases.

“Yellow fever is a viral disease causing fever, headache, and nausea, potentially leading to haemorrhaging, organ failure, and death if untreated.