Nigeria: 2020 Lassa Fever

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Source: https://www.newtelegraphng.com/lassa...t-coronavirus/
Lassa fever: Ebonyi confirms 23 cases in six LGAs, plots against coronavirus
February 4, 2020 Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki

Ebonyi State government, Tuesday confirmed a total of 23 cases of Lassa fever virus in the state.

The government said the disease is currently active in six out of the 13 local government areas in the state.

The six local governments are: Abakaliki, Izzi, Ebonyi, Ohaukwu, Ohaozara and Ikwo...

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Source: https://punchng.com/enugu-confirms-f...f-lassa-fever/

Enugu confirms fourth case of Lassa fever
Published February 4, 2020

The Enugu State Government has confirmed the fourth case of Lassa fever in the state.

Permanent Secretary, Enugu State Ministry of Health, Dr Ifeanyi Agujiobi, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Enugu on Tuesday.

Agujiobi, however, said the patient was undergoing intensive medical care in an undisclosed health facility in the state.

“Yes, we have officially confirmed the fourth case of suspected Lassa fever in the state...

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Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/02/...of-agbonlahor/


LASSA FEVER: 52 deaths recorded in January 2020 ― Prof. Agbonlahor
On February 4, 20205:07 pmI
By Gabriel Enogholase, Benin

Former Vice-Chancellor of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State Prof. Dennis Agbonlahor, has warned of the dangers posed by the increasing cases of Lassa fever in the country which he said has recorded no fewer than 52 deaths in January 2020 with 23 states affected...

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Lassa Fever: Nigeria records 6 new deaths as confirmed cases rise
On February 5, 20209:53 pm
By Sola Ogundipe

Nigeria has registered an increase in the number of Lassa fever cases since the beginning of 2020, with 365 positive cases and 47 deaths reported from 23 states across the country.
The Week 5 situation report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC on Wednesday, indicated there are 23 States reporting at least one case of the disease up from 19 in the previous week.
The affected states are Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Borno, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Kano, Kogi, Kaduna, Adamawa, Cross River, Delta, Osun, Ogun, Abia, Taraba, Plateau, FCT, Gombe, Enugu, Kebbi and Anambra. Three states, Ondo, Edo, and Ebonyi, remain the states with the most affected cases...

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Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/healt...h-minster.html


Lassa fever now in 27 states – Health Minster
February 7, 2020Kunle Sanni

The Minister for Health, Osagie Ehanire, has said about 27 states of the federation have recorded cases of Lassa fever as at the last count.

Mr Ehanire said this on Thursday during a meeting with state health commissioners across the 36 states, at a two-day event organised by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) in Abuja.

He also disclosed that progress is being made by the federal government on developing a vaccine against the disease in partnership with a German research firm...

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Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/kogi-c...r-four-deaths/

Kogi confirms nine cases of Lassa fever, four deaths
February 9, 2020

The Kogi State Ministry of Health has confirmed nine cases of Lassa fever with four deaths recorded since the outbreak of the deadly disease in the state about a month ago.

Dr Austin Ojotule, the State Epidemiologist, disclosed this in statement in Lokoja on Sunday.

According to Ojotule, the state’s statistics on Lassa fever outbreak update as at Feb. 8, 2020, has a total of 31 suspected cases.

He said out of the 31 suspected cases of Lassa fever, one was probable, 17 negative, nine confirmed, while five had pending laboratory results...

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Source: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kebbi-...nfections.html

Kebbi confirms 2 Lassa fever infections By Aliyu M. Hamagam, Birnin Kebbi | Published Date Feb 9, 2020 19:28 PM

Two persons have been confirmed infected with Lassa fever in Kebbi state.
The state epidemiologist, Dr. Assad Hassan, announced on radio in Birnin Kebbi that of the 12 suspected cases recorded this year, only two were confirmed while still awaiting one other result. The epidemiologist, explained that the duo were from Kalgo and Birnin kebbi local government areas, saying while the nine others had tested negative...

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WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 6: 3-9 February 2020
Data as reported by: 17:00; 9 February 2020
...
Lassa fever Nigeria

365 Cases
47 Deaths
12.9% CFR

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria continues to propagate,
with new states being affected weekly. Since our last report on 26
January 2020 (Weekly Bulletin 4), 202 additional confirmed Lassa
fever cases have been reported and six new states have also been
affected, four of which (Kano, FCT, Kebbi and Anambra) have never
reported Lassa fever cases in the past. In week 5 (week ending 2
February 2020), 104 new confirmed Lassa fever cases have been
reported from 15 states, compared to 95 cases reported in week 4,
showing a continuous upward trend of cases reported weekly.
Between 1 January and 2 February 2020, a cumulative total of 1 226
suspected cases were reported in Nigeria. Among these, a total of
365 confirmed cases were recorded from 74 local government areas
(LGAs) in 23 states, with the majority of confirmed cases coming
from Edo (35%), Ondo (35%) and Ebonyi (6%) states. Among the
365 confirmed cases, 47 deaths have occurred, giving an overall
case fatality ratio of 12.9%, which is considerably lower compared
to that for the same period in 2019 (17.7%). The cumulative number
of contacts follow up since week 1 2020 is 1 710, 412 of whom
have completed the mandatory 21-day follow up period. A total of
361 cases are undergoing treatment in the various treatment centres
across the country.

The outbreak has mainly affected individuals between the ages of
21 and 30 years, and the proportion of females affected is slightly
higher that males (1.2:1). Since the beginning of the year, as of week
5 of 2020, 10 healthcare workers have been infected.
Other countries in the West African sub-region (Liberia and Sierra
Leone) are currently experiencing Lassa fever outbreaks, although
not linked to the ongoing outbreak in Nigeria. The neighbouring
countries of Benin, Niger and Cameroon have not reported any
cases of Lassa fever.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

The National Lassa Fever Technical Working Group (NLFTWG),
activated on 24 January 2020, continues to coordinate the
response at national level. At sub-national level, coordination
continues at the Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs)
established in the three most affected states of Ondo, Edo and
Ebonyi.

Rapid response teams led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC) have been deployed to support outbreak
response activities in Ondo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kano and Borno
states.

Case-patients are being treated in the different treatment
centres in the affected states with ribavirin and other supportive
therapeutics. Guidelines for appropriate case management, safe
and dignified burial and infection prevention and control (IPC)
have been disseminated to the different states.

Surveillance activities have been enhanced in the affected states
with improved contact tracing and active case finding in affected
LGAs. An updated tool for detailed case investigation has also
been provided to investigation teams to ensure all relevant
information is captured.

Commodities to support outbreak response activities have been
distributed to states and treatment centres, including personal
protective equipment (PPEs), ribavirin (injection and tablets),
beds, tents, body bags, thermometers, hypochlorite hand
sanitizers, information, education and communication (IEC)
materials, guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Targeted risk communication activities are ongoing in most
affected states mainly through radio and social media messaging.

SITUATION INTERPRETATION

Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Nigeria and many West African
countries where sporadic cases are reported all year round, with seasonal
peaks typically between December and April. However, in recent years,
the number of cases reported in Nigeria has continued to increase in
an unprecedented manner, greater than reported in previous outbreaks.
Response activities, under the leadership of the NCDC, continue in the
most affected states albeit with challenges in all pillars of the response.
The report of healthcare worker infection highlights the urgent need
to strengthen IPC measures. Furthermore, country capacity to detect
and respond to Lassa fever outbreaks, particularly at subnational level
needs to be improved (surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory, case
management, coordination and IPC).

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/330862/OEW06-0309022020.pdf

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Source: https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/2-ca...-benue/cb0dp3e


2 cases of Lassa fever, 7 deaths from strange disease confirmed in Benue
Today at 2:02 PM
The Benue State Epidemiologist, Dr Samuel Ngishe, has confirmed two cases of Lassa fever and 7 deaths from a strange disease in the state.

Nyitse told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Makurdi that the two cases of lassa fever were reported from Guma and Ogbadibo local government areas of the state.

He said the tests conducted on the patients turned positive while they had been quarantined within health facilities.

On the strange deaths that killed 7 people, the medical expert said all the victims were from Obi and Oju and said that they did not die on account of Lassa fever...

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Source: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lassa-...ngle-week.html

Lassa fever kills 8 in single week
By Judd-Leonard Okafor |
Published Date Feb 12, 2020 17:52 PM T

Eight more people have been killed this week in the ongoing outbreak of Lassa fever across the country. The eight come from a total of 109 people confirmed infected with the virus across 19 states.
Among the confirmed cases are four health workers in Ondo, Delta and Katsina within the week. A total of 482 cases are classed as “suspected”—without laboratory testing to confirm whether or not they are Lassa fever infections...

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Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/lassa-...6-states-ncdc/

Lassa fever: 472 confirmed cases, 70 deaths recorded in 26 states – NCDC
February 13, 2020

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has disclosed that 472 confirmed cases of Lassa fever with 70 deaths across 92 Local Government Areas in 26 states of the federation between January 1st and February 9th, 2020.

Assistant Director, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Department of the NCDC, Dr. Kola Jinaidu, made the disclosure in Kaduna on Thursday.

He also disclosed that 14 health workers were affected following the outbreak of the diseases recorded in the country within the period under review...

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Source: https://erccportal.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ECHO-Flash

Nigeria - Lassa fever outbreak (DG ECHO, NCDC, IFRC, WHO)

• On 24 January, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed an outbreak of lassa fever. Since January 2020, 1,708 suspected cases have been reported so far, of these 472 have been confirmed. Of the confirmed cases, 74% are from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi States in South Nigeria. Nigeria has been responding to successive lassa fever outbreaks in recent years, however the number of suspected cases has significantly increased compared to the same period in 2019.
• In support of national efforts to control the outbreak, DG ECHO is supporting the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) through its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support hygiene promotion, case finding, contact tracing, vector control and psychosocial support in the most affected states (Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, and also Taraba, Kano and Bauchi), benefiting 800,000 individuals.
• 5 cases have been reported in the conflict-affected states of the Northeast. 3 cases were confirmed in Borno, of which 2 have died. In Adamawa State, 2 cases were confirmed, one of which died.

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Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/202..._138796380.htm

Nigerian state says about 70 quarantined over Lassa fever outbreak
Source: Xinhua| 2020-02-18 23:59:02|Editor: huaxia

ABUJA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- About 70 people that had contact with the victims of Lassa fever are now in a local isolation facility receiving treatment, said the government of Kano in Nigeria's northwest region on Tuesday.

The 70 quarantined people are among the 390 people isolated for having contact with the victims of the acute viral hemorrhagic fever in the northern state, said Aminu Tsanyawa, the state's commissioner for health.

He told reporters in Kano, the state capital, that over 300 others have been treated and discharged so far...

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Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/just-i...sa-fever-case/


JUST IN: Lagos records first Lassa fever case
February 19, 2020
By Alao Abiodun

Lagos State has recorded a case of the Lassa fever.

It should be noted that this Hemorrhagic fever is raging in over 19 states in the country.

The Lagos state Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi, in a statement early Wednesday, confirmed that the patient is currently in isolation at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital...

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Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/lassa-...tes-says-ncdc/

Lassa fever: 103 confirmed deaths so far from 16 states, says NCDC
February 19, 2020
Moses Emorinken, Abuja

The latest report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has revealed that till date, 103 people have died since the outbreak of the deadly Lassa fever, in December 30, 2019.

These morbid statistics are from 16 states of the country, namely: Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Kano, Kogi, Kaduna, Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Enugu, Abia, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Sokoto and Katsina.

The report which was released yesterday in Abuja, further revealed that Edo state has the highest burden of confirmed cases of Lassa fever at 35 percent, followed by Ondo at 32 percent, and Ebonyi at 6 percent. In total for this year, 26 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 101 Local Government Areas.

“Cumulatively from week 1 to week 07, 2020, 103 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 17.6 percent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2019 (21.1 percent)...

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Source: https://www.who.int/csr/don/20-febru...er-nigeria/en/

Lassa Fever – Nigeria

Disease outbreak news
20 February 2020

From 1 January through 9 February 2020, 472 laboratory confirmed cases including 70 deaths (case fatality ratio= 14.8%) have been reported in 26 out of 36 Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory. Of the 472 confirmed cases, 75% have been reported from three states: Edo (167 cases), Ondo (156 cases) and Ebonyi (30 cases). The other states that have reported cases include : Taraba (25), Bauchi (14), Plateau (13), Kogi (13), Delta (12), Nasarawa (4), Kano (4), Rivers (4), Enugu (4), Borno (3), Kaduna (3), Katsina (3), Benue (2), Adamawa (2), Sokoto (2), Osun (2), Abia (2), Kebbi (2), Gombe (1), Oyo (1), Anambra (1), FCT (1), and Ogun (1).
Fifteen confirmed cases have been reported among health care workers with one death among a confirmed case and one among a probable case.
Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria and the annual peak of human cases is usually observed during the dry season (December–April) following the reproduction cycle of the Mastromy rats in the wet season (May – June). Given that 90-95% of human infections are due to indirect exposure to (through food or household items contaminated by infected rats’ urine and faeces) or direct contact with infected Mastomys rats, the very high density and high circulation of Lassa fever virus in young non-immune rat population during the wet season create a potential for further human infection, thus, the number of infections is expected to continue to rise until the end of the dry season.
Public health response

• The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) activated a National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) with an inter-disciplinary, multi-partner technical team to ensure a well-coordinated response and swift control of Lassa fever outbreaks across affected states.
• Confirmed cases are being treated in the designated treatment centers in the affected states following optimized standard of care protocols. Guidelines for appropriate case management and infection prevention and control (IPC) measures have been disseminated to the different states.
• Surveillance activities have been enhanced in the affected states with enhanced active case finding in affected Local Government Area (LGAs). An updated tool for detailed case investigation has also been provided to investigation teams to ensure all relevant information is recorded.
• Five laboratories with capacity to test for Lassa Fever infection in serum samples are currently operational across the country. A laboratory with capacity to test for Lassa fever was recently established in the Federal Medical Centre in Owo, Ondo state.
• Healthcare workers have been urged to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever suspected cases and take adequate infection prevention and control (IPC) measures during management of all patients in health care facilities.

WHO risk assessment

Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever that is transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces. Secondary human-to-human transmission can also occur through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected persons, especially in health care settings.
About 80% of persons infected with the Lassa virus are asymptomatic but in the remaining 20%, the illness manifests as a febrile illness of variable severity associated with multiple organ dysfunctions with or without haemorrhage. The overall case fatality ratio is usually between 1% and 15% among patients hospitalized with severe illness. Early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival. Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Guinea, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, but may exist in other West African countries.
Although Nigeria is a Lassa fever endemic country and has developed capacity for managing Lassa fever outbreaks, the current overall risk is considered moderate at national level. Capacities at sub-national level remain suboptimal. Fifteen confirmed cases have been reported among healthcare workers in this outbreak and highlights the urgent need to strengthen IPC measures. Furthermore, country capacity to detect and respond to Lassa fever outbreaks needs to be improved (surveillance, laboratory, case management, coordination and IPC measures).
The overall regional and global risk is considered to be low due to minimal number of suspected cross-border transmission from Nigeria to neighboring countries.
WHO advice

Prevention of Lassa fever relies on promoting good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households. Mastomys, an African genus of rodents are so abundant in endemic areas, it is not possible to completely eliminate them from the environment. Family members should always be careful to avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons.
In health-care settings, staff should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials) and safe injection practices.
Health-care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Lassa fever should apply extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding. When in close contact (within one metre) of patients with Lassa fever, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).
WHO continues to advise all countries endemic for Lassa fever on the need to enhance early detection and treatment of cases to reduce the case fatality ratio.
WHO advises against any restrictions on travel or trade to or from Nigeria and the affected areas based on the currently available information.
For further information, see:

• Lassa fever WHO fact sheet
• Lassa fever WHO webpage
• Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, An update of Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria

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Source: https://dailypost.ng/2020/02/22/lass...e-four-deaths/

Lassa fever: Kaduna records new case, four deaths
Published 51 mins ago
on February 22, 2020
By Wale Odunsi

Kaduna State government has said that a new case of Lassa fever has been recorded.

The 40-year-old man is now receiving treatment at the Infectious Diseases Control Centre (IDCC)

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Mohammed-Baloni, in a statement on Saturday, disclosed that four of the patients had died.

She said that two victims out of the eight confirmed cases on admission in hospitals have been successfully treated.

The statement explained that eight out of the 74 suspected cases reported from January 22, were confirmed to have Lassa fever...

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Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/202..._138819488.htm


103 killed in Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria
Source: Xinhua| 2020-02-26 09:34:21|Editor: zyl

ABUJA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the latest round of Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria has risen to 103, with a case fatality rate of 17.6 percent, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) said Tuesday.

The latest case fatality rate is lower than the 21.1 percent recorded in the same period in 2019, health authorities said in a statement...