NewsDesk @bactiman63

During the first three weeks on 2023, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a total of 244 confirmed cases with 37 deaths and a case fatality rate of 15.1 % from 16 states and the FCT – Ondo (90), Edo (89), Bauchi (13), Taraba (10), Benue (9), Ebonyi (9), Nasarawa (7), Plateau (5), Kogi (4), Anambra (2), Delta (1), Oyo (1), Adamawa (1), Enugu (1), Imo (1), and FCT (1).

This compares to 170 confirmed cases and 32 deaths during the same period in 2022.

This prompted the NCDC to activate the Lassa fever Emergency Operations Centre to coordinate and strengthen ongoing response activities in the country. The LF-EOC was activated following a risk assessment carried out on the 20th of January 2023 by subject matter experts from the NCDC, relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), stakeholders and major partners. The outcome of the risk assessment placed the country at a very high risk of increased Lassa fever transmission due to the following:

An unprecedented upward trend in the number of confirmed cases being reported compared to previous years.

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Increased number of states reporting cases in comparison to previous years

Increased risk of healthcare worker infections and deaths due to Lassa fever infection

The purpose of EOC activation is to achieve a coordinated national response and especially across the affected states to interrupt disease transmission, reduce the impact of the disease by reducing suffering and death (morbidity and mortality), and other socioeconomic complications of this disease.