NCDC records 174 Lassa fever deaths, over 1,000 cases in 2024

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 174 Lassa fever deaths have been recorded in 2024.

Jide Idris, director-general of the NCDC, spoke on Tuesday at a press conference in Abuja.

He implored Nigerians to take proactive measures to avoid getting infected.

“Lassa fever disrupts families, livelihoods, and strains our healthcare systems,” he said.

“In 2024 alone, we have seen a worrying increase in cases and deaths from Lassa fever across 28 states, with over 1,000 confirmed cases and 174 deaths reported.

“Lassa fever outbreaks are highly virulent and the loss of human lives resulting from disease are not just statistics but represent the death of beloved family members, spouses, parents.

“Healthcare workers are also not excluded as there is a high chance of infection if proper infection prevention and control measures are not observed, and experienced healthcare workers may die, further straining the country’s already insufficient human resources for health.”

According to the latest Lassa fever situation report, in 2024, 28 states recorded at least one confirmed case across 132 LGAs.

The report said 68 percent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi, while 32 percent were reported from 25 states.

“Of the 68% confirmed cases, Ondo reported 29%, Edo 23%, and Bauchi 16%,” the report reads.

“The predominant age group affected is 31-40 years (Range: 1 to 98 years, Median Age: 32 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:1.

“The number of suspected cases increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2023.”