NCDC: Nigeria Recorded 219 Deaths from Lassa Fever in 2023NCDCNCDC: Nigeria Recorded 219 Deaths from Lassa Fever in 2023

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said the country recorded 1,227 confirmed cases and 219 deaths of Lassa Fever in 28 states last year.

The data contained in the latest report by the disease control centre, stated that there was an increase of 172 confirmed cases and 30 fatalities recorded in 2023 when compared to 1,055 cases and 189 deaths recorded within the same period in 2022.

Cumulatively from week one to week 51, 2023, NCDC noted that 216 deaths were reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 17.5 per cent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (17.9 per cent).

According to the report, the number of new confirmed cases in week 51 spanning 18 to 24 December, Lassa fever cases increased from 10 in the previous week to 26 cases.

The report also noted that the number of suspected cases in 2023 (8,978) increased compared to 2022 (8,130), adding that two health workers were affected in week 51.

The NCDC said that on the whole, 28 states recorded at least one confirmed case of Lassa fever across the 121 Local Government Areas .

Out of the total confirmed Lassa fever cases, three states – Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi states accounted for 77 per cent, while Ondo state accounted for 35 per cent and Edo as well as Bauchi recorded 28 and 14 per cent respectively.