Nigeria increases emergency measures for Lassa fever after 29 deaths

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Pretoria – Nigerian authorities have announced increased emergency measures to contain the latest outbreak of Lassa fever in the West African country, following the death of 29 people this month. 

In statement released over the weekend, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said that at least 29 people had died, while 195 cases of the disease were confirmed in the latest outbreak. The disease is endemic to Nigeria. 

“As at 24th of January 2020, 195 confirmed cases and 29 deaths had been reported in 11 states. Of the confirmed cases, 89% are from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi States,” the NCDC said. 

A national emergency operations centre had been activated to coordinate the response to the increasing number of cases countrywide. 

According to the NCDC, there had been a decline in the case fatality rate from 23.4% in 2019 to 14.8% this year.