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According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the country has recorded 784 confirmed cases of Lassa fever with 142 deaths in the last three months across 23 states (NCDC).
According to the NCDC, the infections have been recorded since January 1. The number of new confirmed cases decreased from 70 in Week 10 of 2023 to 38 in Epidemiological Week 11. The cases were reported in the states of Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Taraba, Benue, Rivers, Plateau, and Nasarawa.
From Epidemiological Week 1 to Epidemiological Week 11, 142 deaths were reported, with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.1%, which was lower than the 18.7% CFR for the same period in 2022.
There has been at least one confirmed case in 23 states and 97 local government areas. Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi reported 71% of all new confirmed Lassa fever cases, while six states reported 29%. Ondo had 32%, Edo had 29%, and Bauchi had 10%.
The most affected age group is 21-30 years old, with a median age of 32 years. For confirmed cases, the male-to-female ratio was 1:0.9.
The number of suspected cases increased when compared to the same period in 2022. In addition, a healthcare worker was reportedly affected in Week 11.
