The agency in its Week 7 report noted that the acute viral haemorrhagic illness also killed two other people in Ebonyi and Taraba between February 15 and February 21, 2021.

The latest fatalities increased the death toll for the year to 22, registering a 21.6% case fatality rate that's higher than at the same point last year which was the worst ever on record.

The NCDC also reported a total of 19 new cases in six states across the country with the highest recorded in Edo (8).

Ebonyi recorded four new cases, followed by Ondo with three, Nasarawa with two, and Taraba and Enugu with one each.

A total of 113 cases were suspected including in Anambra, Bauchi, Cross River, Delta, Jigawa, and Osun where people tested negative.

Nigeria has now recorded 102 Lassa fever cases in 2021, with cases detected in 32 local government areas across eight states.

Edo has recorded the highest number of cases with 50, followed by Ondo with 26, and Taraba with 11.

Ondo has recorded the highest number of deaths with eight, followed by Taraba with six, Edo with four, and Bauchi with two.

Ebonyi and Enugu have recorded one each.

Lassa fever infection can happen through contact with excreta or urine of rodents; contact with a probable or confirmed Lassa fever case within a period of 21 days of onset of symptoms; or any person with inexplicable bleeding/hemorrhagia.

Symptoms of Lassa fever include malaise, fever, headache, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, myalgia, chest pain, and hearing loss.

The NCDC said last year a large epidemiological study being implemented in Nigeria and other West African countries is expected to contribute to Lassa fever vaccine development.