Edo, Ondo Lead As Lassa Fever Kills 149

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has disclosed that 149 people have died so far due to Lassa fever in 2022.

According to NCDC’s latest report on the disease published on Wednesday, Edo and Ondo States are leading in the cases of deaths reported so far.

Lassa fever is a disease that is endemic in Nigeria and cases occur mostly during the dry season.

Since the outbreak of the disease in 2016, the NCDC noted that there had been an increase in the number of recurring cases.

In 2019, the center noted that 796 cases were reported; while in 2020, a total of 1,165 cases were confirmed. The NCDC also confirmed a total of 4,632 suspected cases in 2021.

The center stated, “So far in 2022, 149 people have lost their lives; the highest deaths reported so far in four years.

“Cumulatively from week 1 to week 17 in the year 2022, 149 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate of 19.6 percent.

“In total for 2022, 23 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 95 local government areas. Of all confirmed cases, 68 percent are from states namely; Ondo (28 percent), Edo (25 percent), and Bauchi (15 percent).

“The predominant age-group affected is 21-30 years (range: 1 to 80 years, median age: 30 years). The number of suspected cases has increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2021.

Ondo has so far reported 37 deaths, Edo -26, Bauchi -12, Kogi -7, Ebonyi -18, Benue -8, Taraba -14, Oyo -4, Gombe -8, Enugu -2, Nasarawa -6, Anambra -1 and Kaduna -3.

Others are Cross River -1, Kano -1, and Katsina -1.