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By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel, Abuja
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has issued an alert over a steady increase in Lassa fever cases.
Director-General of the centre, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this during a press briefing, said the agency had continued to see a steady increase in the number of states reporting Lassa fever cases.
According to him, “This rise , in part, implies improved surveillance, better community awareness, environmental degradation from climate change, and other harmful human activities”.
He in 2022, Nigeria reported 1,067 confirmed cases across 27 states and 112 local government areas while in 2023, 28 states and 114 LGAs reported confirmed cases, with 9,155 suspected cases, 1,270 confirmed cases, and 227 deaths.
As of October 13, 2024, according to him, 8,569 suspected cases, 1,035 confirmed cases, and 174 deaths have been reported across 28 states and 129 LGAs.
The DG explained that the disease is also associated with significant loss of livelihood in the communities it ravages. Heads of households are unable to work when exposed to Lassa fever and when other household members are infected, the cost of care and treatment of the disease which is often significant strains existing household income pushing households toward poverty in a swift turn of events.
Idris hinted that 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.
“While we continue to intensify efforts using an all-of-society approach, the public is hereby advised to note that the virus spreads through: direct contact with urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats, contact with objects, household items, and surfaces contaminated with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats, consuming food or water contaminated with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats.
“Person-to-person transmission can also occur through direct contact with blood, urine, faeces, vomitus, and other body fluids of an infected person.
“Lassa fever initially presents like other common illnesses accompanied by a fever, such as malaria. Other symptoms include headache, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, sore throat, and, in severe cases, bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings. The time between infection and the appearance of symptoms of the disease is 3 to 21 days. Early diagnosis and treatment of the diseases greatly increase the chances of patient survival.
“People most at risk for Lassa fever are: People of all age groups who come in contact with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats, People living in rat-infested environments, People who consume potentially contaminated foodstuff, especially those left open overnight or dried outside in the open, People who handle or process rodents for consumption and People who do not perform hand hygiene at appropriate times”, he said.
He urged Healthcare workers including: doctors, nurses, and other health workers who provide direct patient care in the absence of standard precautions, Hospital staff who clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces, materials, and supplies without adequate protective gear, laboratory staff who handle blood samples of suspected Lassa fever patients without appropriate precautions and persons who prepare and/or handle bodies of deceased Lassa fever cases without appropriate precautions.
Besides, the NCDC slso reported that Nigeria recorded 4915 suspected cases, 380 confirmed cases, and 361 deaths from Cerebrospinal Meningitis, CSM, across 174 local government areas in 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory as of 2023/2024.
Director-general of the centre, Dr Jide Idris, who made this known at a press briefing, said a total of 2, 281, 750 doses of Men5CV- ACWYX in Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa and Yobe covering 134 wards in the 13 LGAs. The campaign targeted individuals aged 1-29years, comprising 70 percent of the population.
He said despite significant progress in surveillance, diagnostic capacity, and vaccination over the last few years, CSM remained a priority disease and ever-present public health threat in Nigeria with annual outbreaks in high-burden states that present a challenge for people, health systems, economies, and communities.
He informed that cerebrospinal Meningitis, CSM, occurs when there is an acute inflammation of the covering of the brain and the spinal cord.
According to him, this inflammation can be caused by infection with any of the following organisms – bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi. Injuries and certain drugs can also cause such inflammation.
“CSM is an epidemic-prone disease with cases reported all year round in Nigeria. However, weather conditions like the dry season that comes with dust, winds, cold nights, and frequent upper respiratory tract infections increase the risk of infection, especially with crowding and poor ventilation. The highest burden of CSM in Nigeria occurs in the “Meningitis Belt” which includes all 19 states in the Northern region, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and some southern states such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun”, the DG disclosed.
He noted that while the agency continue to intensify efforts using an all-of-society approach, the public is advised to note that the virus spreads through direct person-to-person contact, including droplets from the nose and throat of infected persons.
He urged the general public to ensure loved loved ones have received the appropriate vaccination required to protect against meningitis, avoid close and prolonged contact with a confirmed case of CSM including relatives, avoid overcrowding on households, schools dormitories, IDPs, prisons other communal settings, practice proper respiratory hygiene when coughing or sneesing and discourage indoor air pollution, such as indoor cooking over open flames.
“Healthcare workers are advised always to practice standard infection prevention and control practices: i.e., wear gloves and other appropriate personal protective equipment while handling patients or providing care to an ill patient”, he added.
