The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has activated the national multisectoral Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for Lassa Fever in response to a significant rise in cases and fatalities. As of now, the number of confirmed Lassa fever cases has reached 244, with the death toll climbing to 37. This decision to activate the EOC was prompted by a risk assessment that indicated Nigeria is at a very high risk of increased Lassa fever transmission. The assessment revealed an alarming upward trend in confirmed cases compared to previous years, an increase in the number of states reporting cases, and a heightened risk of infections and fatalities among healthcare workers.
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, which primarily resides in the Mastomys natalensis rodent, commonly known as the multimammate rat or African rat. Other rodent species can also carry the virus. In a press statement issued on Monday and signed by the Director General of the NCDC, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, the agency outlined that the activation of the EOC aims to facilitate a coordinated national response, particularly in the affected states, to interrupt disease transmission and mitigate the impact of the disease, including suffering, death, and socioeconomic complications.
The statement highlighted that the EOC activation followed a risk assessment conducted on January 20, 2023, by experts from the NCDC, relevant ministries, departments, agencies, stakeholders, and major partners. According to the situation report dated January 22, 2023, there were 244 confirmed cases and 37 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate of 15.1%. The cases were reported from 16 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with the highest numbers in Ondo (90) and Edo (89), among others. Notably, infections and deaths among healthcare workers accounted for five of the confirmed cases and one of the deaths, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance among healthcare professionals.
The NCDC emphasized that healthcare is a collective responsibility shared by communities and governments at all levels. While the NCDC is tasked with leading prevention, emergency preparedness, and response to public health emergencies, it relies on the cooperation and support of states to develop and implement evidence-driven outbreak response plans. Prior to the EOC activation, the Nigerian government, through the NCDC’s multisectoral Lassa Fever Technical Working Group, had already initiated measures to address the rising cases. These measures included repositioning medicines and commodities for effective Lassa fever management and deploying national rapid response teams to hotspot states to assist with contact tracing, case management, risk communication, and community engagement.
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