214 people have died from Lassa fever infection since January 2020.

AFPThe acute viral haemorrhagic illness is caused by rodents and endemic in West African countries [AFP]

Lassa fever killed two people in Ondo State between June 8 and June 14, 2020, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

With the newly-recorded fatalities, the 2020 death toll of the Lassa fever in Nigeria has now risen to 214, a case fatality rate of 20.8%.null

The latest situation report released by the NCDC on Monday, June 22 also showed four new cases were detected in Ondo, and one in Edo in Week 24.

69 other suspected cases in Ondo, Edo, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Niger, and Plateau returned negative results.

The total number of cases recorded since January 2020 now stands at 1,031, detected in 129 local government areas across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The NCDC declared in April that the emergency phase of the 2020 Lassa fever outbreak was over because its case count dropped below levels considered to be a national emergency.

However, the agency’s Director-General, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said Nigeria would continue to record Lassa fever cases even though the country had passed its usual January to April peak period.

Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu [NCDC]about:blank

Ondo has recorded the highest number of cases with 341, closely followed by Edo (333), Ebonyi (76), and Taraba (56).

Ondo has also recorded the highest number of deaths with 59, followed by Edo with 39, Ebonyi with 22, and Taraba with 21.

Other states affected are Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Delta, Enugu, FCT, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, and Sokoto.

Lagos, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo have recorded confirmed cases, but zero deaths during the course of the year.

Lassa fever infection can happen through contact with excreta or urine of rodents; contact with a probable or confirmed Lassa fever case within a period of 21 days of onset of symptoms; or any person with inexplicable bleeding/hemorrhagia.

Symptoms of Lassa fever include malaise, fever, headache, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, myalgia, chest pain, and hearing loss.

The NCDC said in April’s announcement that a large epidemiological study being implemented in Nigeria and other West African countries is expected to contribute to Lassa fever vaccine development.