Nigeria: Lassa fever deaths top 100, 1st case in Lagos

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported an additional 115 confirmed Lassa fever cases the week ending Feb. 16, bringing the total during the first seven weeks of 2020 to 586, well over 200 more cases than was reported during the same period in 2019.

In addition, 18 deaths in confirmed cases were reported last week, bringing the total to 103 year-to-date. In total for 2020, 26 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 101 Local Government Areas.

Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi states still account for more than 70 percent of the total.

20 health care workers have been infected so far, with the addition of two cases last week from Bauchi and Katsina states.

In addition to the NCDC update, the Nigerian Observer reported today on the first case of the year in Lagos state. According to the Commissioner of Health, the patient is currently being treated at Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

“The Ministry of Health through Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health Directorate is currently carrying out ‘contact tracing’ to determine those who may have been infected in line with international standards while we beef up our other surveillance strategies “, the health commissioner said.