Nigeria reported 222 new Lassa fever cases and two new deaths across 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory within one week.
On Monday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control released its weekly situation report.
According to the report, 69 people are currently being treated in treatment facilities.
“There is an increase in the number of recorded confirmed cases of Lassa fever across Nigeria,” according to the center. The number of suspected cases has increased when compared to the same period in 2021. The majority of those affected are between the ages of 31 and 40. For confirmed cases, the male to female ratio is 1:0.9. One new health worker from Benue state has been affected.
According to the report, two people died in Benue and Taraba.
According to the report, 51 new cases were recorded in Bauchi, 76 in Edo, 46 in Ondo, three in Benue, nine in Taraba, 11 in Kaduna, six in Plateau, three in Kogi, one in Cross River, four in Ebonyi, two in Gombe, one in Katsina, four in the Federal Capital Territory FCT, two in Nasarawa, one in Rivers, and two in Enugu.
The agency also stated that it has deployed national response teams to Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory, distributed response commodities to states and treatment centers, and implemented Lassa fever environmental response campaigns in high-burden states.
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic (excessive bleeding) illness spread to humans through food contact, contamination of household items by infected rodents or persons.
Fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pains, chest pain, and, in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings are among the symptoms.
It is one of many diseases that have continued to be overlooked as a result of the disruptions in many health programs and campaigns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
