At least 32 people have died of Lassa fever within the first three weeks of 2022, according to the latest situation report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The report, which was released on Saturday, disclosed that the number of confirmed cases increased from 48 in the second week of 2022 to 74 in week three, spanning January 17 to 23.

The confirmed cases, NCDC noted, were reported by Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Oyo, Ebonyi, Benue, Katsina, Kaduna, and Taraba States.

The disease centre noted that the new fatalities were reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.8 per cent, a lower record when compared with 25.0 per cent CFR reported for the same period in 2021.

NCDC also noted that, cumulatively, from the first week to the third week of 2022, 170 people have been infected by Lassa fever across 37 local government areas in 12 states of the federation.

Similar to the previous week, NCDC said the trio of Edo, Ondo and Bauchi states accounted for 74 per cent of the confirmed cases, with Edo and Ondo topping the infection chart with 28 per cent each, while Bauchi recorded 23 per cent.

The report also indicated that there are currently 759 suspected cases across 37 local government areas in 12 states of the federation, an indication of a rise in percentage when compared to that reported for the same period in 2022.

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic (excessive bleeding) illness that is transmitted to humans through contact with food, household items contaminated by infected rodents or persons.

The vector of the disease is a rat specie called the multimammate rat. The virus is transmitted from the excreta or urine of the vector to humans, and humans to humans, which often propagate the disease.

General symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.

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