Lassa fever:14 more die, 68 new cases confirmed

Fourteen more persons have been killed by Lassa fever in nine
states, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said on Friday.

The centre said they died between January 28 and February 3 in
Edo, Ondo, Rivers, Plateau, Oyo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Taraba and Nasarawa
states.

Last week, the centre confirmed 77 cases of the disease in 13
states and the Federal Capital Territory, with 11 of those affected
dead.

In its latest report, the NCDC noted that 68 new cases had been
confirmed in Edo (20), Ondo (22), Ebonyi (7), Bauchi (4), Plateau
(4), Nasarawa (1), Taraba (3), Benue (1), Kaduna (1), Kwara (1),
Oyo (2), Delta (1) and Rivers (1). It added that between January 1
and February 3, a total of 731 suspected cases had been reported
from 19 states, out of which 275 cases were confirmed positive,
three confirmed as probable and 453 cases confirmed to be
negative.

Among the victims were health workers.

The NCDC said, “Four new health care workers were affected in
Edo State. A total of nine health care workers have been affected
since the outbreak in Ebonyi, Ondo, Enugu and Edo states, with one
death in Enugu. Ninety eight patients are being managed at the
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Treatment Centre (42), Federal
Medical Centre Owo (25), Federal Teaching Hospital Abakiliki (8) ,
Bauchi (5), Plateau (7) and others states.

“A total of 2,791 contacts have been identified from nine
states. Of these number, 2,080 are being followed up and 647 have
completed 21 days follow-up. Twenty three symptomatic contacts have
been identified, of which 13 have tested positive.”