The Nigeria Centre for Disease and Control and Prevention (NCDC) says in less than three months, the country has registered 784 confirmed cases of Lassa fever, with 142 deaths across 23 states.

On its official website on Tuesday, NCDC said the infections were recorded from January 1 till date.

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus.

NCDC said that in Epidemiological Week 11, new confirmed cases decreased from 70 in Week 10 of 2023 to 38.

The agency said the cases were reported from Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Taraba, Benue, Rivers, Plateau, and Nasarawa States.

NCDC said that from Epidemiological Week 1 to Week 11, 2023, 142 deaths had been reported with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.1 per cent, lower than the 18.7 per cent CFR for the same period in 2022.

The NCDC said that, for 2023, 23 states had recorded at least one confirmed case across 97 local government areas.

The public health institution said that 71 per cent of all new confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from Ondo, Edo and Bauchi, while 29 per cent came from six states.

It said that of the 71 per cent, Ondo reported 32 per cent, Edo, 29 and Bauchi, 10.

According to the NCDC, the predominant age group affected is 21-30 years, with the median age as 32.

It said the male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases was 1:0.9.

The agency said the number of suspected cases increased compared to the number reported for the same period in 2022.

The NCDC said that a healthcare worker was affected in Week 11.

The person-to-person transmission of Lassa fever can occur through contact with an infected person’s blood, urine, faeces, vomitus and other body fluids.

(NAN)