At least 14 new cases of Lassa Fever and one fatality have been reported in Nigeria, spanning across three states: Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi.
Jide Idris, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), shared this update during an interview with journalists in Abuja. He revealed that these cases emerged between May 6 and May 12 of this year, impacting individuals aged between 31 and 40.
Furthermore, Idris disclosed that Lassa Fever cases have been documented in 28 out of Nigeria’s 36 states, spanning 125 local government areas. This spread underscores the urgent need for continued vigilance and proactive measures to mitigate the disease’s impact on communities.
“64% of all the confirmed cases were from the three states of Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi, while 36% were reported from 25 states. Of the 64% of these confirmed cases, Ondo accounted for 25%, Edo 22%, and Bauchi 17%,’’ he said.
The NCDC has revealed the launch of the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Incident Management System, aimed at coordinating responses across all Emergency Operation Centre levels.
Idris highlighted several challenges encountered in the fight against Lassa Fever. He emphasised that delayed reporting of cases and poor health-seeking behaviour significantly impede the effective clinical management of the disease. Moreover, he cautioned that Lassa Fever spares no one and urged for increased vigilance to mitigate its impact on individuals and communities alike.
“The virus, transmitted through contact with rat excreta or infected individuals, poses a significant risk to public health. Setting traps to eliminate rats within households is nice. This proactive step reduces the risk of exposure to infected rodents.
“Refrain from handling rats, whether dead or alive, with bare hands. This simple precautionary measure significantly minimises the chance of infection. Exercise caution when consuming food items or fruits that may have been exposed to rats or that rats might have access to,” he said.
He said avoiding handling items exposed to rodents could reduce the risk of ingesting contaminated food.