The Director of Viral and Emergent Pathogens, Control and Research at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Dr Joseph Okoeguale, has said the state recorded 21 deaths from Lassa fever between December and March this year, alongside 240 confirmed cases of the disease.
He disclosed this during a lecture titled ‘University Community’s Collaboration in Lassa Fever Research, Advancing Diagnostic Capacity and Vaccine Development in Nigeria’, organised by the College of Medical Sciences at Edo State University, Uzairue.
He said approximately 37.7 million people in 14 West African countries are at risk of Lassa fever infection annually, resulting in over 5,000 deaths.
Dr Okoeguale said preventing the spread of Lassa fever and developing a vaccine are critical to combating the disease.
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He said, “Lassa Fever has continued to cause mortalities in all age groups undiagnosed and unchallenged.”
He referenced the WHO’s recommendation for establishing centres of excellence in affected regions, such as the Lassa Fever Centre at Kenema General Hospital in Sierra Leone and the Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control in Irrua.
He expressed concern over the yearly outbreaks of Lassa fever, which have resulted in increasing geographical spread, affecting children, pregnant women, and non-pregnant adults across Nigeria.
Dr Okoeguale also mentioned that the centre has established an ultramodern clinical trial and sequencing facility, currently involved in sequencing the Lassa fever virus, as well as COVID-19 and monkeypox viruses.
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