Ebun Francis|
Nigeria has declared a Lassa Fever outbreak in the country.
This followed the increase in the number of Lassa Fever cases reported in states since the beginning of the year, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, NCDC said there has been an increase in the number of Lassa Fever cases reported from many states across the country since the beginning of the year.
Recent epidemiological data showed that this trend usually occurs during the dry season, between January and April.
“As at January 13, a total of 60 confirmed cases have been reported in eight states,” NCDC said.
Declaring an outbreak means the NCDC has activated an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to coordinate a response.
The national EOC includes representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Environment, US Centers for Disease Control, as well as other partners.
The centre said in preparation for this year’s emergency phase, the agency has been providing support to states including the provision of emergency supplies and deployment of Rapid Response Teams (RRT).
Each year, Lassa Fever kills many and leaves most of its survivors with disability, often due to the side effects of the drugs they received.
The viral disease is contracted from the feaces of the multimammate rat and often transmitted via human to human contact.