NewsDesk @bactiman63

In a follow-up on the Lassa fever situation in Nigeria in 2023, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) report an additional 68 confirmed cases during the week ending February 12. Confirmed cases were reported from Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, Ebonyi, Gombe,
Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau States that week.

This brings the total confirmed cases to 531 during the first six weeks of 2023. This is a 48 percent increase compared to the same period in 2022 (358).

In total for 2023, 20 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 79 Local Government Areas.

Cumulatively from week 1 to week 6, 2023, 85 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 16.0% which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (16.5%).

Four new Healthcare workers (HCWs) were affected during the week ending Feb. 12, bringing the total HCWs affected this year to 28.

Infectious Disease Books

Lassa Fever is an acute viral illness and a viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF). The causative agent is a single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus in the family arenaviridae, the Lassa virus. This zoonotic disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality, transmitted by the multi-mammate rat (mastomys natalensis), one of the most common rats in equatorial Africa. The disease was first discovered in a town called Lassa in Borno State, Nigeria in 1969.

Lassa fever remains a major public health challenge in West Africa with Nigeria bearing the highest burden. Lassa fever occurs throughout the year but more cases are recorded during the dry season i.e. November through May.