From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to coordinate multi-sectoral response to the ongoing outbreak of Lassa fever.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) caused by the Lassa virus. The natural reservoir for the virus is the multimammate rat also known as the African rat, even though other rodents can also act as carriers of the virus.
Lassa fever initially presents like other common illnesses accompanied by a fever, such as malaria. Other symptoms include headache, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, sore throat, and, in severe cases, bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.
Further research indicated that the time between infection and the appearance of symptoms of the disease is 3 to 21 days, and early diagnosis and treatment of the diseases greatly increase the chances of patient survival.
NCDC, in a post on its verified X on Friday notified Nigerians about the ongoing outbreak of Lassa fever across the country, asking them to take necessary precautions to minimise the effect of the season’s outbreak.
The Centre explained that the EOC will work with relevant stakeholders including the international partners and state governments to respond to the outbreak which often come with dry season and harmattan by promoting healthy environment and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
Few weeks ago, the Director General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, told journalists at a press conference in Abuja, that Lassa fever has claimed 401 lives between 2023 and 2024 (October 13).
He said: “In 2023, 28 states and 114 LGAs reported confirmed cases, with 9,155 suspected cases, 1,270 confirmed cases, and 227 deaths. As of October 13, 2024, 8,569 suspected cases, 1,035 confirmed cases, and 174 deaths have been reported across 28 states and 129 LGAs.
“Sadly, we have continued to see a steady increase in the number of states reporting Lassa fever cases, attributing it to improved surveillance, better community awareness, environmental degradation from climate change, and other harmful human activities.
“Lassa fever outbreaks are highly virulent and the loss of human lives resulting from disease are not just statistics but represent the death of beloved family members, spouses, parents. Healthcare workers are also not excluded as there is a high chance of infection if proper infection prevention and control measures are not observed and experienced healthcare workers may die further straining the country’s already insufficient human resources for health.
“While we continue to intensify efforts using an all-of-society approach, the public is advised to note that the virus spreads through direct contact with urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats; contact with objects, household items, and surfaces contaminated with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats; person-to-person transmission can also occur through direct contact with blood, urine, faeces, vomitus, and other body fluids of an infected person.”
NCDC, however, encouraged healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever by being vigilant and consider a diagnosis of Lassa fever when seeing patients presenting with febrile illness, asking that they report all suspected cases of Lassa fever to their local government Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer to ensure prompt diagnosis, referral, and early.