Lassa Fever: NCDC confirms 195 cases, 29 deaths

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed that 29 deaths and 195 confirmed cases of Lassa fever had been reported in 11 states of the federation.

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General, NCDC, who disclosed this in a statement he signed on Saturday in Abuja, explained that the current figures were as at Friday, January 24.

Ihekweazu, said out of the confirmed cases, 89 per cent were from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi States.

The NCDC boss said that the increased number of cases at this time of the year was not unusual due to ecological factors.

He said that in response to the increasing number of Lassa fever cases across the states in the country, NCDC activated a National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) on Friday to coordinate response activities.

Ihekweazu said that the EOC includes representatives from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Environment, World Health Organisation, UNICEF, US Centres for Disease Control, and other partners.