The Nigerian Center for Disease Control and Prevention has said that 72 percent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases in 2022 were reported in Ondo, Edo and Bauchi states.
NCDC Director General Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa revealed this on Monday in Abuja at the Federal Ministry of Health’s ministerial press conference on COVID-19 and other developments in the health sector.
Adetifa said: “To date, there are 8,202 suspected cases and 1,067 confirmed cases in 27 states and 112 LGAs.
“Cumulatively, from week one to week 52 of 2022, 189 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate of 17.7%, which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2021 (20.0%).
“Seventy-two percent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases in 2022 were reported in these three states: Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi.”
He noted that NCDC, in collaboration with partners, federal and state stakeholders in the Technical Working Group, has completed the completion and validation of a 5-year strategic plan to reduce the nation’s LF death rate to less than 10 percent.
“We continually appeal to Nigerians to practice personal and environmental hygiene to prevent rat infestation in our homes and communities, especially during this dry season when we typically see more LF cases.
“While the news may seem overwhelming, I ask that you remain committed to supporting national efforts to control the spread of infectious diseases in our various capacities.”
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