Lassa Fever Reported In C'River As New Cases Increases In Nigeria, Two Deaths Recorded

 

As Nigeria continues to grapple with the scourging COVID-19 pandemic, at least two people have died from Lassa fever in the first week of 2022.

The latest situation report, which was released on Friday by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), shows that, as of week one of 2022, spanning January 3 to 9, Lassa fever infections increased from 28 cases in week 52 of 2021 to 48 cases.

The disease centre noted that the confirmed cases were recorded across 20 Local Government Areas in 10 states of the federation.

The report shows that the trio of Bauchi, Edo and Ondo States accounted for 79 per cent of the confirmed cases.

Bauchi State in the North-east topped the infection chart with 14 cases, followed by Edo State in the South-south and Ondo in the South-west with 13 and 11 cases respectively.

The report shows that Benue and Taraba States, which accounted for the fatalities – with a single case each, also reported three and two infections respectively.

. Further breakdown of the cases revealed that five states: Kaduna, Plateau, Kogi, Cross River and Ebonyi, reported a single case each.

While the NCDC disclosed that there are currently 222 suspected cases, it noted that the number of suspected cases in week one of 2022, has increased, compared to that reported for the same period in 2021.

The disease centre added that one new healthcare worker from Benue State contracted the disease. But findings by this newspaper further revealed that the unnamed health worker had died from Lassa fever in the reporting week.

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic (excessive bleeding) illness that is transmitted to humans through contact with food, household items contaminated by infected rodents or contaminated persons.

Symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.

It is one of the many diseases that have continued to suffer neglect due to the disruptions in many health programmes and campaigns caused by the focus on the coronavirus pandemic.

The executive director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, while announcing the cases of Circulating Mutant Poliovirus Type 2 (cMPV2) in the country, blamed the development on the concentration on COVID-19.

“The suspension of several polio campaigns and other health programmes in 2020, as well as disruptions to routine immunisation because of the COVID-19 pandemic, created further immunity gaps which led to new and wider outbreaks, and further increased transmission of the circulating mutant poliovirus both globally and within Nigeria,” Mr Shuaib said.