The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed its report that between January 1 and 19, a total of 398 suspected cases of Lassa fever were reported from all the states of the federation and 24 deaths recorded.
In its weekly situation report covering January 1-19 released on Thursday, the centre said 163 cases of the disease had so far been confirmed in nine states with 24 deaths recorded.
It was earlier reported that the disease had resulted in the death of 16 people in Ondo, three, including two medical doctors and a pregnant woman in Ondo, and one apiece Edo and Delta.
However, latest report from Edo said the state recorded eight deaths out of a total of 175 cases of disease since the current outbreak of the epidemic in the state.
Mr. Musa Ebomhiana, chief press secretary to the Governor Godwin Obaseki who made this known a statement made available to journalists in Benin on Thursday said: “A total of 175 cases of Lassa Fever had been recorded in the state with eight persons dead since the current outbreak of the epidemic.
“This is the highest the state has recorded in history since the first outbreak in the state,” he said.
NCDC said the figures would rise as more states reported cases of the disease.
It said the number of new confirmed cases in week three increased from 64 to 81, mainly in six states: Ondo, Edo, Delta, Taraba, Plateau and Bauchi.
“As at the reporting week, nine states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 32 local government areas,” NCDC stated.
It added that the predominant age-group affected is 11-40 years and the male to female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:1.
With the increasing number of Lassa fever cases in the country and death among health workers, NCDC called on all health workers to ensure caution when dealing with patients to prevent person to person transmission.
It also advised doctors, nurses and other health workers providing direct patient care to ensure standard precautions.
To reduce the risk of Lassa fever, NCDC advised all healthcare workers to practice and maintain standard precautions at all times while handling patients and body fluids.
The agency also said health workers should always use the right equipment based on the procedure to be performed, irrespective of provisional diagnosis of the patient.
It also urged doctors to maintain a high index of suspicion of the disease by testing all suspected cases of malaria using Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) and not assuming that all fevers are due to malaria.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State government has placed all the health agencies in red alert.
The state commissioner for health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, who announced this in Ado-Ekiti, said the state had special centres for treating potential Lassa fever patients.
“The governor, Dr Fayemi, has placed all the health officers in Ekiti on alert and we have designated one of our facilities for the special purpose of receiving any suspected case to the place for immediate treatment. The experts have held meetings with the governor in this regard.
“It has affected Ondo State, our neighbour and we need to be on alert because of the proximity. It is also spreading in Kano, 18 suspects had been diagnosed in Ondo.
“Leaders of health sector are in dialogue with stakeholders and international partners. We have got the mandate of the governor for the procurement of equipment like protective jackets and consumables that will be needed to diagnose and treat any victim.
“We have also created a location among the health facilities in Ekiti where potential victims will be taken to for treatment.
“We are also sensitizing our people by letting them know that when you notice symptoms like body ache, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, haemorrhage, stomach ache and when temperature keeps rising after being treated for malaria fever, then report immediately. Ekiti must be on alert. Prevention is better than cure. We don’t want our people to die in Ekiti as a result of this disease,” she said.
Lassa fever is transmitted from the excreta or urine of the multimammate rat.
Anyone who is suspected of being in contact with a Lassa fever patient needs to be presented to the health facilities within 21 days.
Symptoms of the disease generally include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplained bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, vagina, anus and other body orifices.
Early diagnosis and treatment increase a patient’s chances of survival.
Lassa fever is spread through:
1. Direct contact with urine, faeces, saliva or blood of infected rodents.
2. Ingesting food and drinks contaminated with urine, faeces, saliva or blood of infected rats.
3. Contact with objects, household items or surfaces contaminated with urine, faeces, saliva or blood of infected rats.
4. Person-to-person transmission can also occur through contact with blood, urine, faeces, vomitus and other body fluids of an infected person, particularly in an environment where infection prevention and control practices are not optimal.
