86 confirmed killed in 2018 outbreak - NCDC

A new report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has revealed that the Lassa Fever outbreak of 2018 has led to

In the situation report released on Sunday, March 18, 2018, the agency revealed that 86 people have died in positive-confirmed cases while 24 others died despite being negative, with 9 probable cases still pending. The Case Fatality Rate in confirmed and probable cases is 24.7%.

The report read, "19 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 56 Local Government Areas (Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Imo, Plateau, Lagos, Taraba, Delta, Osun, Rivers, FCT, Gombe, Ekiti and Kaduna). Nine states have exited the active phase of the outbreak, 10 States remain active.

"In the reporting week 11, no new healthcare worker was affected. 17 health care workers have been affected since the onset of the outbreak in six states - Ebonyi (9), Nasarawa (1), Kogi (2), Benue (1), Ondo (1) and Edo (3) with four deaths in Ebonyi (3) and Kogi (1).

"83% of all confirmed cases are from Edo (43%) Ondo (24%) and Ebonyi (16%) states. 38 cases are currently under treatment in treatment centres across six states (Edo (10), Ondo (8), Ebonyi (4), Bauchi (10), Taraba (5) and Plateau (1).

"A total of 3675 contacts have been identified from 19 states. Of these 805 are currently being followed up, 2863 have completed 21 days follow up while 7 were lost follow up. Twenty three (23) of the 59 symptomatic contacts have tested positive from 3 states (Edo -12, Ondo -7, Ebonyi - 3 and Kogi -1)."

NCDC response to the outbreak

The NCDC report indicated that, in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), it has scaled up response at national and state levels.

Teams are also in place in four Benin Republic border states (Kebbi, Kwara, Niger and Oyo) for enhanced surveillance activities.

National Lassa fever multi-partner multi-agency Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues to coordinate the response activities at all levels.