The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has revealed that 42 lives have been claimed across the country by a fresh outbreak of Lassa fever.
A report from the NCDC revealed that 538 cases were reported in 16 states in the first 27 days of the year.
213 of the reported cases tested positive, two were classified as probable and 325 negative. The agency also puts the fatality rate at 19.7%.
A state-by-state analysis of the disease indicates that 77 new confirmed cases were reported from Edo(24), Ondo(28),Ebonyi(5), Bauchi(3), Plateau(5),Taraba(3), Gombe(1),Kaduna(1), Kwara(1), FCT(1), Benue(2), Rivers(1) Kogi(1) and Enugu(1).
States with new deaths are Edo(4), Ondo(2), Benue(1), Rivers(1) Plateau(2) Taraba(1) and Bauchi(1).
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16 states (Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba, FCT, Adamawa and Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Benue, Rivers Kogi and Enugu) have recorded at least one confirmed case across 40 local government areas.
The report added that one new healthcare worker was affected in Enugu State.
A total of four healthcare workers have been affected since the onset of the outbreak in two states – Ondo (2), Ebonyi (1) and Enugu(1) with no death.
102 patients are undergoing treatment at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) treatment Centre in Edo State (34) ; Federal Medical Centre, Owo,Ondo State (40); Bauchi (5); Plateau(8); Taraba(3); Ebonyi(6); and others(6) States.
NCDC reports that total of 2,070 contacts have been identified in eight states.
Of these contacts, 1673(80.8%) are currently being followed up, 361(17.4%) have completed 21 days follow up. 23(1.1%) symptomatic contacts have been identified, of which 13 (0.6%) have tested positive from three states (Edo -2, Ebonyi-5 and Plateau-6 ).
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