Nigeria: Lassa fever outbreak now at 855 cases

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

Nigeria health officials reported an additional 81 confirmed Lassa fever cases the week of Mar. 2-8, bringing the country total to 855 since the beginning of the year.

This total is nearly double the 472 confirmed cases reported during the same period last year.

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reported nine additional deaths, bringing the fatality total to 144 (16.8% CFR).

In total for 2020, 27 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 119 Local Government Areas. Of all confirmed cases, 74% are from Edo (34%), Ondo (33%) and Ebonyi (7%) states.

Two additional healthcare workers (HCW) tested positive. To date, 29 HCWs have been reported with Lassa fever in 2020.



