Abuja: Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is grappling with a significant outbreak of Lassa fever, with public health authorities reporting at least 72 fatalities since the start of the year.
According to the latest report from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), there have been a total of 411 confirmed cases of the viral hemorrhagic fever across 21 states since January. Sixty-five percent of these cases originate from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi states, with the remaining 35 percent distributed across 18 other states.
While the number of cases this year has decreased compared to the same period in 2023 – from 8,280 suspected cases to 2,122 cases – the outbreak remains a significant concern. Among those affected, two health workers have also been impacted, with the most affected age group being individuals aged 21 to 30 years.
Lassa fever is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or feces. It spreads when humans come into contact with the saliva, urine, or excreta of infected rats.
In 2023, the NCDC recorded 219 deaths from 1,227 confirmed cases of Lassa fever, underscoring the severity and persistence of this infectious disease in Nigeria.
