Lassa Fever Outbreak Worsens in Nigeria: 8,569 Cases Reported in Week 41

Lassa Fever Outbreak Worsens in Nigeria: 8,569 Cases Reported in Week 41

Nigeria is grappling with a severe outbreak of Lassa fever, with the total number of confirmed cases rising to 8,569 across 28 states and 129 local government areas, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). The latest Lassa Fever Situation Report reveals a concerning increase in cases, with 10 new confirmed cases reported in week 41, up from seven in the previous week.

The affected states include Ondo, Edo, Benue, and Taraba, with Ondo accounting for 28% of all confirmed cases, followed by Edo with 23%, and Bauchi with 17%. The predominant age group affected is between 31 to 40 years, with an equal gender distribution among confirmed cases.

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness of 2-21 days duration that occurs in West Africa. The Lassa virus is transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces. Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevention and control measures .

The symptoms of Lassa fever vary widely, making diagnosis challenging. Most cases (around 80%) are asymptomatic or mild, but the infection can result in severe illness and multiple organ dysfunction with or without hemorrhage. Laboratory testing is necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

Responding to the current outbreak is challenging due to the need to respond to multiple emergencies simultaneously, including outbreaks of COVID-19, diphtheria, meningitis, measles, and cholera, and ongoing humanitarian crises . Inadequate funding for preparedness activities, poor health-seeking behavior in affected communities due to high treatment costs, and environmental sanitation conditions in high-burden areas requiring urgent attention are also major concerns.

To combat the outbreak, the NCDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center and deployed Rapid Response Teams to affected states. Response activities include enhanced surveillance, case management, prevention measures, and control measures such as administration of antiviral drugs to confirmed cases and contact tracing.

Healthcare workers are advised to follow standard precautions for infection control, including basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, safe injection practices, and safe burial practices . When in close contact with patients with Lassa fever, healthcare workers should wear face protection, a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves.

The public can prevent Lassa fever by storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from homes, maintaining clean households, and keeping cats to control rodent populations . Family members should avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons.

The World Health Organization (WHO) supports the Nigerian government in developing national prevention strategies and enhancing laboratory diagnostics for Lassa fever and other dangerous diseases