In Nigeria, 190 people have died due to Lassa fever.

The Director of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Jide Idris, stated in a press conference that there has been a concerning increase in Lassa fever cases and deaths in the country. Idris mentioned that this year, 9,492 suspected cases of Lassa fever have been identified in the country, with 1,154 of them testing positive.

3 MEDICATIONS IDENTIFIED DUE TO THE OUTBREAK

Idris noted that 190 people have lost their lives this year due to the Lassa fever outbreak, expressing that the mortality rate has remained consistently high due to the outbreak. The government announced that 3 medications have been identified due to the outbreak across the country.

DECLARED EMERGENCY IN 2019

Lassa fever, which has been observed in many African countries such as Mali, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, was first identified in Nigeria in 1969 in Borno State in the northeastern part of the country. The Nigerian government declared a state of emergency due to Lassa fever on January 23, 2019.

LEADS TO FATAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVER

The disease, which is transmitted through contact with rat droppings, can spread from person to person and leads to fatal hemorrhagic fever. Authorities are warning the public to avoid contact with rats and other rodents.