The Federal Government of Nigeria says 115 people from across 21 states have died of Lassa fever since the disease outbreak was confirmed in January this year.

Nigeria
Nigeria map/CIA

In its latest epidemiological situation update on the Lassa fever outbreak, the government said 2,115 suspect cases were reported in the period between 1 January and 8 July, 2018.  

“Of these, 446 were confirmed positive, 10 are probable, 1652 negative. Since the onset of the 2018 outbreak, there have been 115 deaths in confirmed cases and 10 in probable cases. The case fatality rate among confirmed cases is 25.4%,” the government said.

Further, the government noted that 17 of the 21 states have since progressed beyond the active phase of the disease, leaving the four states of Plateau, Taraba, Ondo and Edo affected.

Altogether, seven new cases and three deaths were confirmed across the four states in the week between July 2 and July 8, 2018.

The disease has infected 39 health-care workers and killed 10 across seven states. More than 80% of the confirmed cases are from the Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi states.