Nigeria’s death toll hits 104 in 2023

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) said 104 Lassa fever deaths and 636 confirmed infections have been recorded in Nigeria between January and February 26.

The NCDC noted that the number of deaths was recorded with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 16.4 percent which is lower than that recorded in the same period in 2022 (18.1 percent).

This is in the agency’s latest epidemiological report published on its website for the 8th week of 2023, from February 20 to 26.

The report shows that 351 suspected cases were recorded during the week under review, with 59 infections and 10 deaths confirmed.

In total for 2023, according to the report, at least one confirmed case has been recorded in 88 local government areas in 22 states, adding that of all the confirmed cases, 70 percent are from Ondo, Edo and Bauchi.

READ ALSO: In Ondo, Lassa Fever killed more people than COVID-19 in 11 months

Ondo state in the southwest tops the list of infections with 33 percent, while Edo and Bauchi states have 28 and nine percent infections respectively.

The NCDC maintains that the number of suspected cases has increased compared to those reported in the same period in 2022, adding that four new health workers were affected in the reporting week.

Lassa fever

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease (profuse bleeding) that is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rats or contaminated people.

Symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, chest pain, and in severe cases, bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other openings of the body that cannot be stopped. explained.