Nigeria has recorded 1,035 confirmed cases of Lassa fever out of 8,569 suspected cases, with 174 deaths in 28 states across 129 local government areas as of October 13, 2024.
The country has also recorded 380 confirmed cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis out of 4,915 suspected cases, with 361 deaths in 24 states across 174 local government areas during the 2023/2024 season.
Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC Dr Jide Idris disclosed these figures on Tuesday during a press briefing in Abuja.
Dr Idris explained that the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the NCDC, leads efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to Lassa fever cases across the country each year.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, with the multimammate rat (also known as the African rat) being its natural reservoir. Other rodents can also act as carriers of the virus.
