The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there have been 152 deaths due to Lassa fever in Nigeria so far this year.
The NCDC reported that from January 1 to April 16, 2023, a total of 877 confirmed cases of Lassa fever had been reported from 26 states and 101 local government units.
During the time under consideration, 4,702 suspected instances were registered in total.
The public health institution observed that with the current mortality toll, the outbreak’s case-fatality ratio was 17.3%.
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 regions of West Africa, the disease is endemic among the rodent population.
There are eight West African nations where Lassa fever is known to be endemic: Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Nigeria.
The WHO estimates that the overall CFR for Lassa fever is 1%, but 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.
