Nigeria reports 10 additional Lassa fever cases: ‘It’s the largest Lassa fever outbreak ever reported’

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 10 additional confirmed Lassa fever cases the week ending April 12, bringing the country total to 973 since the beginning of the year.

Director general of the NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said it’s the largest Lassa fever outbreak ever reported in any country, ‘anywhere in the world’.

The new cases were reported from 5 States (Edo, Ondo, Kogi, Nasarawa and Plateau).

No deaths were reported this week, so the death toll from confirmed cases remains at 188.

In total for 2020, 27 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 127 Local

Government Areas. Of all confirmed cases, 73% are from Edo (33%), Ondo (32%) and Ebonyi (8%) States.

Anti-viral Face Mask

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by rodents and is endemic in West African countries.



