Nigeria: 2019 Lassa Fever

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Source: https://www.worldstagegroup.com/edo-alerts-residents-on-fresh-outbreak-of-lassa-fever/

Edo alerts residents on fresh outbreak of Lassa Fever
January 3, 2019 - by Edo Dogwu

WorldStage Newsonline? The Edo State Government has issued fresh alert to residents in the state following report of outbreak of Lassa Fever in other parts of the country.

According to the government, the outbreak is exacerbated by bush burning and other activities that drive rats from the wild into people?s homes.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, in a statement called on residents in the state to take extra precaution against Lassa Fever disease.

He also advised residents in the state, especially those residing in endemic areas, to adopt preventive measures in order to ward off the disease...

 

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Source: https://guardian.ng/news/lassa-fever-outbreak-kills-seven-infects-25-in-seven-states-fct/

Lassa fever outbreak kills seven, infects 25 in seven states, FCT
By Chukwuma Muanya
14 January 2019 | 4:12 am

Ahead of the first International Lassa fever conference scheduled for January 16 and 17, 2019 in Abuja, the virus has killed seven in 25 confirmed cases from seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

A breakdown of the figures, yesterday, by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) showed that the 25 new cases were from Edo (nine), Ondo (eight), Bauchi (three), FCT (one), Nasarawa (one), Ebonyi (one), Plateau (one) and Taraba (one). States with seven new deaths include Ondo (two), Edo (one), Nasarawa (one), Plateau (one) FCT (one) and Taraba (one).

According to the NCDC, in the reporting Week 01 (January 1-6, 2019), 57 suspected cases have been reported and of these, 25 were confirmed positive and 32 negative (not a case)...

 

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Source: https://punchng.com/kwara-confirms-cases-of-lassa-fever-yellow-fever-polio/


Kwara confirms cases of Lassa Fever, Yellow fever, Polio
Published January 15, 2019

he Kwara State Government has confirmed two cases of Lassa Fever infecting a husband and wife in the state.

The government also confirmed an outbreak of circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus which claimed the life of a two-year-old girl and a case of Yellow Fever infecting a farmer.

Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday during at a news briefing, the Kwara Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Usman Rifun-Kolo said the outbreak of Lassa Fever was identified in a farm settlement in Taberu, Baruten Local Government Area.

He, however, explained that the two cases of the disease affected a husband and wife, who were natives of Benin Republic, which shares a border with the state. He added that the husband and wife are farming in Baruten.

?These cases of Lassa Fever originated from Benin Republic, whose citizen have inter-relations with people in Baruten area,? he said.

According to him, the husband and wife were diagnosed in a health facility, and that the state government had already deployed disease surveillance team to identify those who have been in contact with the patients.

Rifun-Kolo further explained that the surveillance team identified four people with history of fever in the area...

 

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Source: https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/lassa-fever-causes-senior-army-officers-death-in-jos/6t5p64v


Lassa fever causes senior Army officer's death in Jos
Samson Toromade
Yesterday at 4:25 PM

The Nigerian Army has announced the death of a senior non-commissioned officer suspected to have died due to Lassa fever.

Before his death on Tuesday, January 15, 2019, the unnamed officer was attached to 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Rukuba Barrack, Jos, Plateau State.

According to a statement signed by the division's spokesperson, Major Ikechukwu Stephen, the officer was being treated for malaria shortly after he returned from Kogi State where he attended his father's funeral.

He was first treated at the division's hospital before he was transferred to Bingham University Hospital Jankwano, Jos, where he died four days after his case was first reported...

 

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Source: https://www.france24.com/en/20190122-nigerias-new-outbreak-lassa-fever-kills-16

Nigeria's new outbreak of Lassa fever kills 16
Date created : 22/01/2019 - 19:45

Lagos (AFP)

Nigerian health authorities on Tuesday declared a new outbreak of Lassa fever that has killed 16 people since early January, despite successfully containing the disease last year.

"Since the onset of the 2019 outbreak, there have been 16 deaths in confirmed cases," said a report released by the National Centre for Control (NCDC), revealing a 26.7 percent mortality rate in confirmed cases.

A total of 172 suspected cases have been identified since January 1, of which 60 were confirmed positive.

"Given this increase in reported cases of Lassa fever, the NCDC has declared this an outbreak and activated an Emergency Operations Centre to coordinate the response," the report said.

The operations are coordinated with the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Nigerian government health officials.

The virus has been detected in seven of Nigeria's 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja...

 

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Source: https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/lassa-fever-kills-plateau-189934


Lassa fever kills four in Plateau
By TODAY -
January 24, 2019

Four people have died of Lassa fever in Plateau State.

The state commissioner for health, Kunde Deyin, confirmed the deaths

The incident is coming barely one week after the Nigerian Army announced the death of a soldier in Plateau from the disease.

Newsmen reported the death of the soldier who was attached to 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Rukuba Barrack, Jos.

The deaths also come two days after the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control announced a Lassa fever outbreak in the country.

While confirming the Plateau deaths, Deyin also said 16 people tested positive of the disease. He said the 16 are currently receiving treatment at Bingham Teaching Hospital Jos (Jankwano) and Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

According to the commissioner, 25 cases were initially sampled out which 16 tested positive of Lassa fever...

 

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Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/ebonyi-...s-lassa-fever/


Ebonyi records two deaths from Lassa Fever
Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki by Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki
January 26, 2019

Ebonyi state government has confirmed the death of two persons in recent Lassa fever outbreak in the state this year.

Commissioner for Health, Daniel Umezuruike Gabe the confirmation in Abakaliki on Saturday.

According to him 10 other cases have been recorded in the state five of which have been treated and discharged...

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Source: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lassa-fever-outbreak-claims-31-spreads-to-9-states.html


Lassa fever outbreak claims 31, spreads to 9 states
By Ojoma Akor, Olayemi John-Mensah & Mulikatu Umar Shuaibu | Published Date Jan 26, 2019 4:32 AM

Lassa fever has claimed 31 lives since the beginning of this year with 377 suspected cases in nine states.

A situation report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) yesterday said between January 14 to 20, 74 new confirmed cases were reported from Edo, Ondo , Bauchi , Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba and Adamawa states.

Also, twelve new deaths were recorded in Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba and Adamawa during the period. A healthcare worker was also affected in Ebonyi State.

The report said that the nine states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 29 local government areas, and that 136 cases were confirmed positive and 240 negative out of the 377 suspected cases reported since January...

 

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Source: https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/dead-plateau-records-17-cases-lassa-fever-190832


Five dead as Plateau records 17 new cases of Lassa fever
By
Danjuma Terfa -
January 27, 2019

The Plateau State Government on Sunday confirmed that there are 17 new Lassa Fever cases in the state, adding that ?five have so far died of the fever in the past few days?.

The Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Kamshak Kuden, who confirmed the outbreak of the disease, said that the disease was prevalent in five local government areas of Jos North, Jos South, Bassa, Riyom and Shendam.

Kuden further said that the state government was putting plans in place to control the spread of the disease to other local governments...

 

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Source: https://lailasnews.com/lassa-fever-kills-50-people-in-ondo-state/

Lassa fever kills 50 people in Ondo state
by Ayeni Tolulope January 30, 2019, 3:49 pm

Lassa fever has reportedly killed 50 people in Ondo state, leaving residents and medical practitioners worried.

Sources at the Federal Medical Center, FMC, Owo, revealed that the state government is not doing enough to curb the spread of the disease.

A medical practitioner at the health facility revealed that the situation is almost beyond control adding that they have run out of space at the isolation ward where these patients are being treated.

Pleading anonymity, the source also revealed how a Lassa Fever patient ?mysteriously? disappeared from the hospital.

She blamed the incident on the negligence of some of her colleagues...

 

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Source: https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/beau...s-killed-40-cases-recorded-in-plateau/m6mp1h7


Lassa Fever: 8 persons killed, 40 cases recorded in Plateau
Yesterday at 10:55 PM

Kamshak made the disclosure on Thursday, during the Agenda for Social Behavioural Communication Committee (SBCC), Review Meeting, held in Jos.

He described the situation as worrisome, and declared that government was working round the clock to to curb the spread of the disease.

The commissioner, who was represented by Mr Michael Pam, Director of the ministry's Public Health Department, said that health officers had been deployed o various areas to curtail the situation so as to save lives.

He warned members of the public against the danger of rodents, and cautioned against indiscriminate handshakes...

 

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Source: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lassa-fever-infections-rise-to-213-in-january.html


Lassa fever infections rise to 213 in January
By Judd-Leonard Okafor | Published Date Feb 1, 2019 15:47 PM

The number of people confirmed infected with Lassa fever since the start of January rose to 213 this week, and 42 of them have died.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control declared an outbreak of Lassa fever after 60 people were confirmed infected across eight states in the first two weeks of January alone...

 

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Source: https://afro.who.int/news/who-scales-lassa-fever-response-affected-states

[h=1]WHO scales up Lassa fever response in affected states[/h]

Abuja, 1 February 2019 - The World Health Organization (WHO) is scaling up response to the Lassa fever outbreaks in states across Nigeria to strengthen rapid containment of the disease. WHO is mobilizing experts to intervene in investigations, contact-tracing, risk communication and plans are underway to strengthen efforts to further assist Nigeria in controlling the Lassa fever outbreak.
On 21 January 2019, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared an outbreak of Lassa fever following an increase in the number of cases.
From 01 to 27 January 2019, a total of 213 confirmed cases including 41 deaths were reported from sixteen states (Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe, Anambra, Kaduna, Kwara, FCT, Benue, Rivers, Nassarawa and Kogi States) across 40 Local Government Areas(LGA). This represents a significant increase in the number of cases reported compared to at the same period in 2018.
With the outbreak confirmed, WHO intensified its technical assistance to State and Federal authorities in investigation and response to the outbreak. Dr Peter Clement, the WHO Officer in Charge (OIC) for Nigeria stated that ?WHO reorganized its staff to provide assistance to each of the response pillars and directed field offices to assist in outbreak investigation, coordination and response activities at the state level.
According to him, ?WHO is supporting coordination, enhanced surveillance, contact tracing, and risk communication. We are also mobilizing experts to support case management and detailed epidemiological analysis to monitor situation in the affected states.?
Through the polio infrastructure in the State field offices, WHO is also providing technical assistance and coordination of partners in the affected states.
In Edo State, one of the worst hit states, the Commissioner for Health, Dr David Osifo stated ?WHO continues to strengthen capacity of health workers, conduct disease surveillance as well as other control measures which include coordination of contact tracing on behalf of SMOH and engagement with communities?.
Since the onset of the outbreak, WHO in collaboration with Ministries of Health in the affected States has assisted all components of the response.

 

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Source: https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/ncdc-lassa-fever-kill-42-16-states-192203


NCDC: Lassa fever kill 42 in 16 states
By Brendan Umoren -
February 2, 2019

Forty-two lives have been claimed across the country by a fresh outbreak of Lassa fever, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

A total of 538 cases were reported in 16 states in the first 27 days of the year, the NCDC said in an update yesterday.

However, only 213 of the reported cases tested positive, two were classified as probable and 325 negative.

The NCDC put the fatality rate at 19.7%.

The breakdown of the cases, state by state, reveals that 77 new confirmed cases were reported from Edo(24), Ondo(28), Ebonyi(5), Bauchi(3), Plateau(5), Taraba(3), Gombe(1), Kaduna(1), Kwara(1), FCT(1), Benue(2), Rivers(1) Kogi(1) and Enugu(1).

States with new deaths are Edo(4), Ondo(2), Benue(1), Rivers(1) Plateau(2) Taraba(1) and Bauchi(1).

16 states (Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba, FCT, Adamawa and Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Benue, Rivers Kogi and Enugu) have recorded at least one confirmed case across 40 local government areas.

In the report, one new healthcare worker was affected in Enugu State.

A total of four healthcare workers have been affected since the onset of the outbreak in two states ? Ondo (2), Ebonyi (1) and Enugu(1) with no death.

102 patients are currently being managed at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) treatment Centre in Edo State (34) ; Federal Medical Centre, Owo,Ondo State (40); Bauchi (5); Plateau(8); Taraba(3); Ebonyi(6); and others(6) States...

 

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Source: http://saharareporters.com/2019/02/03/fmc-out-bed-space-fresh-lassa-fever-outbreak-hits-ondo

FMC Out Of Bed Space As Fresh Lassa Fever Outbreak Hits Ondo

"There is no bed space again for us to quarantine these set of people in the FMC Owo. What we're currently facing is quite beyond what anyone would ever imagine. Patients kept inside the isolation ward are those that have contracted Lassa fever, and most of the reported cases are from the border communities within Ose Local Government area of the state,? the source told SaharaReporters.
by SaharaReporters, New York Feb 03, 2019

The Federal Medical Centre in Owo, Ondo State, is said to have run out of bed spaces to accommodate victims of the Lassa fever outbreak in the state.

Investigation carried out by SaharaReporters showed that the disease which has been ravaging the state for almost two weeks, has found its way into Akure, the state capital.

Although the outbreak had been reported in border cities of the northern senatorial district of the state, such as Edo and Kogi, sources at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo area told our correspondent that many victims are hospitalised in the centre...

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Source: https://www.tribuneonlineng.com/188225/


CAN raises alarm as 100 infected with Lassa Fever in Ondo
Latest News
By Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure On Feb 3, 2019

Following the outbreak of Lassa Fever in Ondo State, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Sunday warned members of the public in the state against unhygienic living condition.

No fewer than 100 cases had been recorded at various health centres across the 18 local government areas of the state with the highest casualties recorded in Owo and Ose Local Government Areas of the state...

 

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Source: https://leadership.ng/2019/02/09/lassa-fever-57-deaths-recorded-281-confirmed-cases/

Lassa Fever: 57 Deaths Recorded, 281 Confirmed Cases Published 2 hours ago on February 9, 2019
By PATIENCE IVIE IHEJIRIKA Abuja

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has said that since the onset of the 2019 outbreak of Lassa Fever, the country has recorded 57 deaths in 281 confirmed cases with case fatality rate of 20.7 per cent in 19 states.

The 19 affected states, according to NCDC are, Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba, FCT, Adamawa and Gombe.

Others are, Kaduna, Kwara, Benue, Rivers, Kogi, Enugu, Imo, Delta and Oyo, adding that each of the states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 51 Local Government Areas.
According to the centre?s national situation report on Lassa Fever, from January 28 to February 03, 2019, 68 new confirmed cases were reported from Edo, 20; Ondo, 22; Ebonyi, 7; Bauchi, 4; Plateau, 4; Nasarawa, 1; Taraba, 3; Benue, 1; Kaduna, 1; Kwara, 1; Oyo, 2; Delta, 1, and Rivers 1.

The report also revealed that there were 14 new deaths in Edo, 2; Ondo, 1; Rivers, 1; Plateau, 2; Oyo, 1; Ebonyi, 4; Enugu, 1; Taraba, 1 and Nasarawa, 1...

 

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Source: https://www.who.int/csr/don/14-february-2019-lassa-fever-nigeria/en/
[h=1]Lassa Fever ? Nigeria[/h] Disease outbreak news
14 February 2019

From 1 January through 10 February 2019, 327 cases of Lassa fever (324 confirmed cases and three probable cases) with 72 deaths (case fatality ratio = 22%) have been reported across 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with the majority of cases being reported from Edo (108) and Ondo (103) states. Twelve cases have been reported among healthcare workers in seven states ? Edo (4), Ondo (3), Ebonyi (1), Enugu (1), Rivers (1), Bauchi (1) and Benue (1) including one death in Enugu.
The number of confirmed cases reported across Nigeria remains high. In week 6, 2019 (week ending 10 February 2019), 37 new confirmed cases including 10 deaths (case fatality ratio = 27%) were reported from nine states across Nigeria. The majority of cases were reported from Ondo (12) and Edo (10) states. The number of confirmed cases reported in week 6, 2019 represents a slight decrease compared to week 5 when 68 confirmed cases were reported (Figure 1).
Of the 3746 contacts identified since January 2019, 2658 are still under follow-up while 1045 have completed 21 days of follow-up. Sixty contacts became symptomatic, of which 39 tested positive.
Ninety-one case-patients are currently in admission at treatment centers across the country. The case-patients are being treated with standard supportive care.
[h=4]Figure 1: Number of confirmed and probable Lassa fever cases in Nigeria reported by the week of illness onset from 1 January through 10 February 2019[/h]

Source: Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
[h=3]Public health response[/h]

• On 22 January 2019, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) declared the outbreak an emergency.
• Multi-sectoral One Health national rapid response teams have been deployed to Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Bauchi to support field investigation and response activities.
• Enhanced surveillance is ongoing in all states following alert communication and a press release from NCDC.
• Treatment of Lassa fever cases is also ongoing at designated treatment centres across the country.
• Risk communication and community engagement activities continue in the states. National awareness was improved through the recently concluded international Lassa fever conference which took place from 16 through 17 January 2019.

[h=3]WHO risk assessment[/h] 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. Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur. The overall case fatality rate is 1%; it is 15% among patients hospitalized with severe illness. There is currently no approved vaccine. Early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival.
Although Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Nigeria with the peak season anticipated from December through June, the current increase in new confirmed cases and deaths should be monitored closely and addressed appropriately. Cases in neigbouring Benin and Togo potentially originating from Nigeria have been reported in previous years and therefore neighbouring countries should be monitored accordingly.
With twelve confirmed cases so far among healthcare workers, there is evidence of nosocomial transmission of the disease amidst reports of inadequate infection prevention and control (IPC) supplied in some health facilities and complacency on the part of health workers towards maintaining IPC measures.
[h=3]WHO advice[/h] Prevention of Lassa fever relies on community engagement and promoting hygienic conditions to discourage rodents from entering homes. In healthcare settings, staff should consistently implement standard infection prevention and control measures when caring for patients to prevent nosocomial infections. WHO continues to advice all countries in the Lassa fever belt on the need to enhance early detection and treatment of cases to reduce the case fatality rate as well as strengthen cross-border collaboration.
WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restriction to Nigeria based on the currently available information.
For more information on Lassa fever, please see the link below:

• WHO fact sheet on Lassa fever

 

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Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/lassa-fever-kills-three-in-ebonyi/


Lassa Fever kills three in Ebonyi
by Ogochukwu Anioke
February 18, 2019

Three persons of the 19 confirmed cases of Lassa Fever in Ebonyi State have died. Fourteen were treated and discharged at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA) this year.

Commissioner for Health Dr. Daniel Umezuruike stated this during a public health advisory workshop organised by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abakaliki.

According to him, the disease ravaged eight of the 13 councils, including Abakaliki, Ezza South, Ezza North, Ohaozara, Ebonyi, Izz, Afikpo North and Ikwo.

He said: ?Recent genomic sequencing of the Lassa Fever virus in Nigeria shows rodent to human transmission is still the main source of infection. Therefore, environmental sanitation, especially rodent control, is critical to curtailing the spread...

 

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Source: https://leadership.ng/2019/02/21/nigeria-records-37-new-cases-of-lassa-fever/

Nigeria Records 37 New Cases Of Lassa Fever
Published 1 min ago on February 21, 2019
By PATIENCE IVIE IHEJIRIKA Abuja

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that 37 new confirmed cases of Lassa fever have been reported in nine states with 10 new deaths in four states.
The states, according to NCDC are Edo 10, Ondo 12, Ebonyi 4, Plateau 4, Taraba 3, Benue 1, Gombe 1, Rivers 1, and Kebbi 1.
The centre said the 10 new deaths were recorded in Edo 2, Ondo 2, Ebonyi 4 and Plateau 2.
According to its weekly report (week 06), ?from 1st January to 10th February 2019, a total of 947 suspected cases have been reported from 20 states and the FCT. Of these, 324 were confirmed positive, three probable and 620 negative (not a case). ?Since the onset of the 2019 outbreak, there have been 69 deaths in confirmed cases. Case fatality ratio in confirmed cases is 21.3 per cent...

 

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Source: https://plustvafrica.com/news/lassa-fever-10-killed-28-new-cases-confirmed-in-plateau/

Lassa fever: 10 killed, 28 new cases confirmed in Plateau
5 hours ago
Web Admin

Dr Kunden Deyin, the Plateau Commissioner for Health says the state has recorded twenty-eight new cases of Lassa fever with ten deaths.

The Commissioner said sixty-four cases were taken to the laboratory for confirmation out of which twenty-eight were confirmed to be Lassa fever.

He said that one of the confirmed cases was imported from Kaduna State, adding that most of the affected persons are responding to treatments...

 

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Source: https://www.concisenews.global/2019/02/22/ncdc-records-25-new-cases-of-lassa-fever-in-8-days/


NCDC Records 25 New Cases Of Lassa Fever In 8 days
By
Jesuwale Stephen -
February 22, 2019


Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says it recorded 25 new cases of Lassa fever between Feb.11 and Feb. 17 across the country.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, made this known on Friday in Abuja.
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Ihekweazu said that the 25 new cases brought the number of confirmed cases to 355 out of 1,139 suspected cases recorded since Jan. 1 in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said under the reporting week 07 that out of the total cases, three were probably while 781 tested negative.

He said that a total of 75 deaths had been recorded since the onset of the outbreak...