Lassa Fever Spreads Across 91 Local Councils in 33 States

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has deployed Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Taraba, Benue, Gombe, and Nasarawa States in response to the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak. The teams were initially sent for a two-week period between January and March 2025, but due to the evolving nature of the outbreak, the deployments in Edo and Taraba were extended by 10 and seven days, respectively.

NCDC Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, stated that the RRT deployment was necessary following the identification of 3,465 suspected cases of Lassa fever across 91 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 33 states. Of these, 645 cases were confirmed, and 118 individuals tragically lost their lives, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.3%.

According to a statement by NCDC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Sani Datti, healthcare workers have also been impacted, with 20 infections recorded—eight in Ondo, four in Bauchi, one in Edo, two in Taraba, one in Ebonyi, two in Gombe, one in Benue, and one in Ogun. Given these developments, the Lassa Fever National Emergency Operations Centre (LF-EOC) has been activated at Response Level Two to enhance coordination among Federal, State, and Local Governments, as well as development partners.

To support affected states, the NCDC has provided critical medical resources, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and treatment medications, alongside state-specific advisories to aid in disease prevention and control. However, several challenges persist, including inadequate community-level surveillance, limited human and financial resources for case management and contact tracing, and delays in seeking medical attention due to self-medication and reliance on traditional remedies.

Dr. Idris urged individuals with suspected symptoms to seek medical care promptly and called on State Governments to help cover treatment costs for Lassa fever and similar diseases. He also emphasized the need for private sector involvement in ensuring the availability of medical supplies and promoting public health awareness.

Highlighting the collective responsibility required to control the spread of Lassa fever, he assured that both the NCDC and State Governments remain at the forefront of response efforts. He further encouraged healthcare workers to adhere strictly to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures and maintain high vigilance for Lassa fever cases.

The public was also advised to prioritize environmental hygiene and take measures to prevent rodent infestations in homes, food storage areas, and utensils—one of the most effective ways to curb the spread of the disease.

SOURCE

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