Nigeria is seeing a slight decline in new cases of Lassa fever, but health officials are raising fresh concerns over a rising death rate.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 65 new infections were recorded in the last week of February, down from 77 cases reported the previous week.
However, despite this drop, the case fatality rate has surged to over 23 percent, compared to just under 19 percent during the same period last year.
Health authorities say the increase in deaths is largely due to late hospital visits, as many patients delay seeking medical attention. The NCDC also highlighted poor sanitation and low public awareness in high-risk communities as major contributing factors.
More Read
To curb the outbreak, the agency is ramping up efforts by:
-
Strengthening disease surveillance
-
Expanding contact tracing
-
Deploying rapid response teams to affected areas
-
Distributing protective equipment to healthcare facilities
Young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 are currently the most affected group, while infections among healthcare workers are also on the rise.
More Read
Lassa fever is a viral illness in the same family as Ebola and Marburg virus disease. It can cause symptoms such as fever and vomiting, and in severe cases, internal bleeding.
The disease was first identified in 1969 in the town of Lassa, from which it got its name.
Although about 80 percent of infections show no symptoms, severe cases can be life-threatening, especially when diagnosis comes late.
Currently, there is no licensed vaccine for Lassa fever, making early detection and treatment critical in saving lives.
