Nigeria Reports Over 170 Fatalities in Lassa Fever
(MENAFN) Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, is grappling with a deadly Lassa fever outbreak that has claimed 172 lives since January, health officials reported Wednesday.
The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) revealed in its latest briefing that from January through October, 924 confirmed infections emerged from 8,041 suspected cases spanning 106 local government areas across 21 of the country's 36 states.
The agency highlighted a concerning increase in the case fatality rate, now at 18.6 percent—up from 17 percent during the same period last year. The rise is attributed to "late presentation of cases and poor health-seeking behavior among residents of high-burden communities."
Edo, Ebonyi, and Ondo states in southern Nigeria, alongside Bauchi and Taraba in the north, account for more than 90 percent of confirmed cases. Notably, Ondo alone makes up 35 percent of total confirmed infections, according to the NCDC.
Young adults aged 21 to 30 represent the most affected demographic, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.
The public health agency warned that "poor sanitation, limited awareness in high-burden communities, and delayed treatment continue to exacerbate the outbreak." In response, a multi-sectoral incident management system has been activated to coordinate efforts across the nation.
Lassa fever, a severe viral hemorrhagic disease, primarily spreads through contact with food or household objects contaminated by rodent urine or feces. Human-to-human transmission can also occur via direct contact with blood, saliva, urine, or other bodily fluids of infected individuals.
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