More Lassa fever cases recorded in Ondo, Edo — NCDC

Five new confirmed cases of Lassa fever were recorded in Ondo and Edo States from August 15 to 21, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said.

The agency, in its latest situation report Sunday, said the number of new confirmed cases decreased from nine in the previous epidemiological week.

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The report restated that cumulatively since the beginning of the year, 168 deaths had been reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.8 percent  which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2021 (23.3 percent).

The report also said 25 States had recorded at least one confirmed case across 101 local government areas this year.

It added that of all confirmed cases, 70 percent were from Ondo (31 percent), Edo (26 percent), and Bauchi (13 percent) States.

NCDC said the Lassa fever Technical Working Group continued to provide effective multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary coordination of Lassa fever response.

 It added that the Eight Lassa fever molecular laboratories in the NCDC network are working full capacity to ensure that all samples are tested, and results provided within the shortest turnaround time.