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Lassa fever kills eight more persons, infects 35 in Abuja, six states

By Chukwuma Muanya
22 January 2019   |   3:04 am
The ongoing Lassa fever outbreak in some parts of the country has killed eight additional persons and infected 35 others in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and six other states. Latest update on Lassa fever released yesterday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Abuja, capturing Week 2 (January 7 to January 13,…

[FILES] FCT, Abuja

The ongoing Lassa fever outbreak in some parts of the country has killed eight additional persons and infected 35 others in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and six other states.

Latest update on Lassa fever released yesterday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Abuja, capturing Week 2 (January 7 to January 13, 2019) confirmed that 35 new confirmed cases were reported from Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, FCT, Ebonyi, Plateau and Taraba states.

It also confirmed eight new deaths in Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Plateau, FCT and Taraba.

A further breakdown showed 12 persons were infected in Edo and Ondo, three in Bauchi, one in FCT, five in Ebonyi, one each in Plateau and Taraba states. A breakdown on the dead showed three in Ondo, and one each in Edo, Ebonyi, Plateau, FCT and Taraba.

The NCDC noted that from January 1 to 13, 2019, a total of 172 suspected cases were reported of which 60 were confirmed positive and 112 negative.

It also noted that since the outbreak, there have been 16 deaths in confirmed cases and Case Fatality Rate (CFR) and 26.7 per cent of confirmed cases.

According to the NCDC, Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba states and the FCT have recorded at least one confirmed case in 17 local government areas.

The NCDC, however, noted that in week two, no new healthcare worker was infected but 46 patients are currently being managed of which 20 are at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) treatment Centre, 18 at Federal Medical Centre, Owo, three in Bauchi and five in Ebonyi.

It added that 593 contacts have been identified in eight states, while 590 are currently being followed-up with three symptomatic positive contacts.

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