Lassa fever death toll hits 229 as fresh infections rise

LASSA FEVER By Chioma Obinna Nigeria’s Lassa fever outbreak has claimed 229 lives this year, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, confirming a fresh spike in infections as 25 new cases were recorded in one week across five states.

Among recent interventions, the agency said it trained frontline healthcare workers with support from the World Health Organization, Africa CDC, Médecins Sans Frontières, FHI 360 and other partners; deployed National Rapid Response Teams to seven high-burden states; strengthened infection prevention programmes in endemic states; distributed personal protective equipment to health facilities; and conducted community sensitisation campaigns targeting farmers, market women, religious and traditional leaders.“Healthcare workers should maintain high suspicion for Lassa fever and initiate timely referral and treatment while adhering strictly to infection prevention and control procedures,” the NCDC advised.