95 confirmed killed in 2018 outbreak - NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed that a total of 95 victims have died in the country in the Lassa Fever outbreak of 2018.

This was disclosed in a situation report released on Sunday, March 25, 2018, where the agency revealed that it has received a total of 1613 suspected cases since January 1, 2018.

Since the onset of the 2018 outbreak, 95 people have died in positive-confirmed cases, while 30 others have also died despite being negative, with 9 probable cases still pending. The Case Fatality Rate in confirmed and probable cases is 24.1%.

The report read, "In the reporting Week 12 (March 19-25, 2018) eighteen new confirmed cases were recorded from ten States - Edo (5), Ondo (2), Bauchi (1), Ebonyi (2), Taraba (3),Plateau (1), Kogi (1), Osun (1) FCT (1)and Gombe(1) with six new deaths in confirmed cases from Edo (1), Taraba (2), Ebonyi (1), Plateau (1) and Gombe (1)

"From 1st January to 25th March 2018, a total of 1613 suspected cases. Of these, 394 confirmed positive, 9 are probable, 1198 are negative (not a case) and 12 are awaiting laboratory results (pending).

"Since the onset of the 2018 outbreak, there have been 134 deaths: 95 in positive-confirmed cases, 9 in probable cases and 30 in negative cases. Case Fatality Rate in confirmed cases is 24.1%.

"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). Seven states have exited the active phase of the outbreak while 12 States remain active.

"In the reporting week 12, no new healthcare worker was affected. Seventeen 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).

"81% of all confirmed cases are from Edo (42%) Ondo (23%) and Ebonyi (16%) states. 27 cases are currently under treatment in treatment centres across nine states - Edo (9), Ondo (5), Ebonyi (5), Bauchi (2), Taraba (3), Plateau (1), Osun (1) and Kogi (1).

"A total of 4005 contacts have been identified from 19 states. Of these 763 (19.0%) are currently being followed up, 3235 (80.8%) have completed 21 days follow up while 7 (0.2%) were lost follow up. 23 (36%) of the 64 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.

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