TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lassa Fever

  • NMA worried over spread of Lassa fever among health workers

    NMA worried over spread of Lassa fever among health workers

    The Bauchi State branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), conducted a one-day sensitisation on Lassa fever for its members on Sunday.

    It centred on Lassa fever infection and transmission among health workers.

    Bauchi State recorded 1,106 suspected cases of Lassa fever in 2022, 162 of which were confirmed.

    Dr Mahmud Maigari of the Department of Internal Medicine, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, told the sensitisation session that 34 of the confirmed cases were recorded among health workers.

    He said women accounted for 51.2 per cent of the cases, while neb accounted for 48.8 per cent.

    He noted that in 2022, Lassa fever patients based on occupation were mostly farmers, amounting to 54 cases in crop production and in animal husbandry.

    Speaking on infection prevention and control, Dr Biodun Ogunniyi, Assistant Director, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), said more than 60 per cent of infectious diseases could be reduced through hand hygiene.

    He said that to break the link of transmission of infectious diseases, health workers should use the core components of protection.

    Ogunniyi listed use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), isolation precaution and decontamination of water as some components to be employed against transmission.

    In his contribution, Dr Jibrin Yusuf, Chief Medical Director, ATBUTH, said that the hospital would introduce rewards and sanctions for the use of PPE and other protocols among health personnel.

    He said five health workers had already been infected with Lassa fever in the hospital in 2023.

    “ATBUTH will introduce rewards and assign schedules among staff to monitor personnel using their PPE from the gate and till close of work.

    “This is part of motivation to reduce the burden of infection on health workers,’’ he said.

    Dr Jamila Suleiman, a 2014 Lassa fever survivor and employee of ATBUTH confirmed that not using the PPE was the cause of her infection.

    She said that lessons must be learnt on ways to mitigate the transmission of Lassa fever.

    She expressed regrets that some of her colleagues lost their lives to Lassa fever in the line of duty

    The sensitisation session was held with support from Breakthrough Nigeria (BA-N), an NGO.

    Earlier, BA-N Coordinator in Bauchi State, Mr Usman Mohammed, said the NGO, with funding from USAID creates demand and awareness on health care services.

    He assured that BA-N would continue support activities in Bauchi State to improve healthcare delivery.

    NMA Secretary in Bauchi State, Dr Abdullahi Kabir, said at the session that Lassa fever was chosen to remind health workers on best practices considering the fact that the fever is prevalent between December and April.

  • Ondo Govt. begins proactive strategises to combat Lassa fever outbreak

    Ondo Govt. begins proactive strategises to combat Lassa fever outbreak

    Ondo State Government said it had mapped out strategies to combat outbreak of Lassa fever in the state ahead of the dry season.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mrs Folukemi Aladenola, said this in a statement issued by Mrs Bisi Lawani, the ministry’s Head of Information Unit, on Thursday in Akure.

    Aladenola gave the assurance after an emergency Operation Committee meeting at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Akure.

    The PS, who was represented by the State Epidemiologist and Director of Disease Control, Dr Stephen Fagbemi, said the state government decided to be ready with the strategies as the number of cases of Lassa fever were usually high at the onset of the dry season in November.

    She stated that it was important to strategise and begin to roll out information on the seasonal pattern of the disease.

    The PS explained that there was continuous need to contain the spread of the virus through sensitisation to the ways people could escape being infected by the disease.

    She said that since the state was one of the known endemic states in the country for the disease, there was need for synergy among health workers for proper diagnosis and prompt notification .

    She added that “the committee emphasised that the general public must be sensitised appropriately.

    “Especially farmers and dwellers in the rural and agrarian societies on how best to prevent outbreak by keeping food items in ways that are not accessible to rodents and that they should stop bush burning.

    “The committee also called on the people of the state to promote good hygiene at homes and in their various communities and also put measures in place to discourage rodents from entering their homes.

    “The meeting resolved that strategies that would be used to combat the outbreak of the illness included training of clinicians, rolling out sensitization jingles, radio drama, motorised campaign and use of social media,” she stated.

  • Ondo, Edo lead as NCDC announces new Lassa fever cases

    Ondo, Edo lead as NCDC announces new Lassa fever cases

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says the states of Ondo and Edo are leading the country’s Lassa fever cases as it announces five additional cases in seven days, from Aug.15 to Aug. 21, 2022.

    The NCDC via its official website on Monday said that the two states accounted for 57 per cent of the disease burden in the country.

    Newsmen reports that Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever transmitted by rats.

    It has been known since the 1950s but the virus was not identified until 1969 when two missionary nurses died from it in the town of Lassa in Nigeria.

    Found predominantly in West Africa, it has the potential to cause tens of thousands of deaths. Even after recovery, the virus remains in body fluids, including semen.

    Neighbouring countries are also at risk, as the animal vector for Lassa virus, the “multimammate rat” (Mastomys natalensis) is distributed throughout the region.

    The Agency’s epidemiological report showed that from the beginning of 2022, 25 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 101 Local Government Areas across the country.

    The Public Health Institute further stated that cumulatively from week one to week 33, 2022, 168 deaths have been reported with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.8 per cent.

    This, the public health institute said was lower than the CFR for the same period in 2021 (23.3 per cent).

    The NCDC, therefore, said that the national Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group (TWG) continued to coordinate the response activities at all levels to curb the spread of the disease.

    It said: “In week 33 (August 15 to 21) the number of new confirmed cases decreased from nine in week 32, 2022 to five cases. These were reported from Ondo and Edo states.

    “Of all confirmed cases, 70 per cent are from Ondo (31 per cent), Edo (26 per cent), and Bauchi (13 per cent).

    “The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (range: 0 to 90 years, median age: 30 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8.

    “The number of suspected cases has increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2021. No new Healthcare worker affected in the reporting week 33.”

    Proferring solutions and preventive measures, the public health agency said to reduce the risk of Lassa fever, Nigerians should ensure proper environmental sanitation.

    “This is by keeping your environment clean at all times and block all holes in your house to prevent rats from entry”

    It also advised that Nigerians should cover their dustbins and dispose of refuse properly.

    “Communities should set up dump sites very far from their homes to reduce the chances of having rodents within homes; Store foodstuff like rice, garri, beans and corn/maize in containers that are well covered with tight-fitting lids.

    “Avoid drying foodstuffs outside on the floor, roadside where they will be exposed to contamination; Avoid bush burning which can lead to the displacement of rats from bushes to human dwellings.

    “Eliminate rats in homes and communities by setting rat traps and other means.

    “Practise good personal hygiene by frequent washing of hands with soap under running water or use hand sanitisers when appropriate.

    “Visit the nearest health facility if you notice any of the signs and symptoms of Lassa fever as mentioned earlier, and avoid self-medication,” it advised.

    Newsmen also reports that the Lassa virus is transmitted to man by infected multi-mammate rats and humans become infected from direct contact with the urine and faeces of the rat carrying the virus.

    People also contract the disease by touching soiled objects, eating contaminated food or exposure to open cuts or sores.

    Secondary transmission from person to person can also occur as a result of exposure to the virus in the blood, tissue, urine, faeces or other bodily secretions of an infected patient.

  • Lassa Fever: Death toll on the increase in Nigeria – NCDC

    Lassa Fever: Death toll on the increase in Nigeria – NCDC

    The latest report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has shown that Lassa fever has killed 59 Nigerians since the beginning of the year (six weeks) in thirteen states of the country as of February 13, 2022.

    Furthermore, in one week (between February 7 to 13, 2022) eleven (11) people have been killed by the disease in five states – Ondo (five), Edo (two), Taraba (two) Bauchi (one) and Kogi (1).

    Also, nineteen (19) states have recorded at least one confirmed case of the diseases, with Ondo State having the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths at 115 and 20 respectively.

    Of all confirmed cases, 73 per cent are from Ondo (32 per cent), Edo (23 per cent) and Bauchi (18 per cent) States.

    According to the NCDC, the states with the disease burden are: Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Benue, Taraba, Oyo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Delta, Kaduna, Adamawa, Niger, Anambra, Katsina, FCT and Cross River.

    According to a statement by the NCDC, “In week six, the number of new confirmed cases increased from 58 in week five, 2022 to 77 cases. These were reported from Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Taraba, Enugu, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Niger States and the FCT.

    Read Also

    Federal Ministry of Environment has strengthened activities on environmental health and sanitation response to Lassa fever outbreak in the country after 11 deaths in 2022.

    The ministry revealed that 102 deaths were recorded from 510 cases last year

    Minister of state for the environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor, at a function over the weekend, said her ministry had already embarked on environmental health and sanitation response campaign in 11 states of the federation to ensure improvement in environmental sanitation of premises, abatement of nuisance, rodent control, food hygiene and safety.

    In a statement issued by the ministry’s director of press, Saghir el Mohammed, she said Nigeria is currently experiencing increasing number of reported Lassa fever cases across the country.

    The most recent situation report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) of 16th January, 2022, indicated 96 confirmed cases and 11 deaths from 3rd to 16th January, 2022, in 27 local government areas across 11 states that include Bauchi, Edo, Ondo, Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Plateau, Kogi, Cross River, Ebonyi and Oyo.

  • Lassa fever: NCDC registers 40 deaths, four health workers infected in January

    Lassa fever: NCDC registers 40 deaths, four health workers infected in January

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), registered 40 Lassa fever-related deaths in January, adding that four health workers were also infected following the latest outbreak of Lassa fever in the country.

    The NCDC, via its verified website, made this known on Sunday morning, saying that it is currently distributing medical response commodities to states and treatment centres.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever transmitted by rats. It has been known since the 1950s, but the virus was not identified until 1969, when two missionary nurses died from it in the town of Lassa in Nigeria.

    Found predominantly in West Africa, it has the potential to cause tens of thousands of deaths. Even after recovery, the virus remains in body fluids, including semen.

    Neighboring countries are also at risk, as the animal vector for Lassa virus, the “multimammate rat” (Mastomys natalensis) is distributed throughout the region.

    According to the agency, for January, the 40 deaths and 981 cases reported in January 2022 were across 43 local government areas in 14 states.

    The public health agency said “Cumulatively from Week 1 to Week 4, 2022, 49 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate of 19.0 per cent.

    “In total, for 2022, 14 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 43 local government areas. Of all confirmed cases, 82% are from the following states as follows – Ondo (30%), Edo (27%) and Bauchi (25%).

    “The predominant age-group affected is 21-30 years.

    “The number of suspected cases has increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2021”

    The centre also noted that, “four health workers have been infected so far, 233 cases undergoing treatment, 617 cases undergoing contact tracing while 968 have been listed for follow up.”

    The agency added that the states with the suspected number of cases were; Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Benue, Oyo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Kogi, Kaduna, Katsina, Ebonyi, Plateau, Cross River, Borno, Anambra, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Kebbi, Ogun, Kwara, Lagos, Delta, Gombe, FCT, Nasarawa, Rivers and Enugu.

    The NCDC said that Lassa fever is caused by a single stranded RNA virus and is a disseminated systemic primary viral infection.

    “The main feature of fatal illness is impaired or delayed cellular immunity leading to fulminant viraemia.

    “This is why health workers should maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever, be vigilant and look out for symptoms of Lassa fever. Not all fevers are malaria,” it added.

    The agency also reported its activation of emergency response over the virus across the country, saying activation became necessary given the increase in the number of confirmed cases across the nation.

    Since, the last outbreak of the virus in 2016, the health agency noted that there had been an increase in the number of cases in the country.

    Meanwhile in 2019, the agency stated that 796 cases were reported, while in 2020, a total of 1,165 cases were confirmed at the peak of the pandemic.

    NAN reports that the peak incident is thought to be in the dry season (January to March), but data collected in Sierra Leone shows peaks in the overlap with the wet season (May to November).

    Many infections are sub clinical; a high index of suspicion, given the difficulties of clinical diagnosis, is needed when people present with a fever of unknown origin, with symptoms appearing up to 21 days after leaving the endemic area.

    The virus is excreted in semen for three months after infection and experts do not know how frequently it may be transmitted through sexual intercourse.

    Attempts are being made to produce a vaccine using the yellow fever virus as a vehicle.

    The possibility that Lassa virus could be used as a biological weapon has raised the profile of the need for greater understanding of Lassa fever and for more effective control and treatment programmes.

  • Sad! How two top gynaecologists died due to complications of Lassa fever in Nasarawa

    Sad! How two top gynaecologists died due to complications of Lassa fever in Nasarawa

    …contracted disease during emergency caesarean operation

    It has been revealed how two top medical doctors at the popular Arafat Dalhatu Specialist hospital in Nasarawa died after an emergency operation on a Lassa fever infected patient.

    The two consultants contracted the disease during an emergency caesarian operation conducted on a woman who was admitted into the hospital bleeding but unknown to the doctors she had lassa fever.

    It was gathered that the pregnant woman was rushed to the hospital over complications arising from lassa fever but unknown to the medical experts they attended to her believing it was pregnancy related complications.

    The woman died some hours after the surgery while the baby also died not quite long after the death of the mother.

    Meanwhile the test result later showed she had lassa fever which actually led to complications that resulted in premature labor necessitating her being rushed to the hospital on emergency.

    It was further revealed that one of the doctors who performed the operation died last week and the test result confirmed that he was killed by lassa fever.

    Sadly on Wednesday, the second Doctor who took part in the operation also died of lassa fever.

    The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Mrs. Ruth Namo confirmed that the two gynaecologists died of lassa fever.

    It would be recalled that the ministry of health last week declared that lassa fever outbreak was imminent in the state with two reported cases.

  • 41 persons die of lassa fever in Bauchi

    Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Executive Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BASPHCDA), said 41 persons had died of Lassa fever from January to date in the state.

    Mohammed, who disclosed this in Bauchi on Saturday, noted that lassa fever is more deadly than Coronavirus (COVID-19).

    The PHCDA boss explained that a case of Coronavirus reported early have greater chances to get treated and recovers.

    He added that most cases of lassa fever were reported late, hence the number of death of patients.

    “We just recorded another two deaths resulting from lassa fever. This has brought the total number of deaths as a result of lassa fever to forty-one.

    “Coronavirus has been with us since 23rd of March this year, however, we have only recorded three deaths as a result of the virus.

    “Most of Coronavirus cases reported early, have greater chances to recovery compare to lassa fever infested people,” he said.

    He expressed concern that lassa fever infested cases, always seek for medical attention late.

    According to him, until they have fever, they start bleeding from faeces, when it would have already been too late before they report.

    “Now we have 41 people who have lost their lives due to lassa fever contrast to three people who have lost their lives to Coronavirus,” he said.

    He said the state government has intensified training of staff on how to carry out effective fumigation and spraying.

    He added that the state government would be embarking on a massive spraying and decontamination of communities in order to combat lassa fever in the state.

    Mohammed, however, urged residents to also contribute their own quota by always reporting any suspected case of Lassa fever in the state as early diagnosis and treatment could help patients to recover.

  • 39 persons die of lassa fever in Bauchi

    The Bauchi State Government says 39 people have lost their lives to Lassa fever in the state since January.

    Dr Aliyu Maigoro, Bauchi State Commissioner for Health, disclosed this at a news conference in Bauchi on Wednesday.

    He revealed that due to the timely and massive intervention by the state governor, Bala Mohammad, the only person currently on admission and receiving treatment would soon be discharged.

    “On the issue of Lassa fever, 39 people have lost their lives since January till date, but currently, we have only one case on admission and he is about to be discharged.

    “We have stayed for almost four to five weeks now without anybody being admitted for lassa fever in the state.

    “His Excellency, the Executive governor, really supported the campaign against lassa fever even before the COVID-19 pandemic and that was what really helped in intensifying the effort that we have gone up to zero with Lassa fever in the state,” he said.

    The commissioner also disclosed that 342 contacts were listed and whose samples had been taken, adding that, out of the figure, a total of 49 cases were confirmed and recorded.

    “Up to 18th week, 342 cases were listed and samples were taken.

    “Out of that figure, up to week 18, we recorded a total number of 48 cases, and with the one currently on admission, making 49.

    “When you compare the death from this year to last year, in 2019 we had a case fatality rate of 20.5 but this year, we have a case fatality of 40.4.

    “This shows that there is an increase in the dead this year, compared to last year,” he said.

  • Emergency phase for Lassa Fever outbreak now over – NCDC

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has declared the emergency phase of the 2020 Lassa fever outbreak, over.

    This, according to the agency, follows a successive decline in cases below the emergency threshold, and an epidemiological review carried out by it (NCDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    On January 24, 2020, the NCDC had declared a Lassa fever outbreak and activated a national Lassa fever Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).

    This was in response to an increase in Lassa fever cases at the beginning of the year, exceeding the threshold for an outbreak.

    Since the beginning of the outbreak, 979 confirmed cases including 188 deaths have been recorded from 27 States including the Federal Capital Territory as of April 19, 2020.

    But according to the NCDC, the Lassa fever case count has significantly declined in the last three weeks and has now dropped below levels considered to be a national emergency.

    “It is important to highlight that this year, there was a decline in case fatality of Lassa fever, from 23% in 2019 to 19% in 2020,” the agency said in a statement.

    The agency noted that its strategic response was based on five key priorities:

    1. Improved preparedness through training of health workers across the country and a nationwide communications campaign before the outbreak

    2. Early deployment of One-Health Rapid Response Teams to affected States and deployment of surge staff to treatment centres

    3. Establishment of new treatment centres and strengthening of existing treatment centres

    4. Distribution of medical, laboratory, treatment and infection prevention and control supplies to all states with confirmed cases

    5. Implementation of Lassa fever Environmental response campaign in high burden states by the Federal Ministry of Environment

    Despite the end of the emergency phase of the outbreak, the NCDC says it will continue to coordinate the national multisectoral Lassa fever Technical Working Group (TWG).

    This TWG would ensure continuous monitoring of cases, as well as the strengthening of Lassa fever surveillance, diagnostic, treatment and other response activities across all levels in Nigeria.

  • 188 Nigerians die of Lassa fever in three months – NCDC

    Nigeria is paying more attention to Coronavirus, but a deadlier Lassa Fever has killed 188 Nigerians within three months.

    The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on Thursday revealed that between January 2020 and now 963 cases of Lassa Fever have been confirmed in the country.

    NCDC added that within the period, the deadly Lassa Fever has struck dead 188 Nigerians.

    “Since the onset of the Lassa Fever outbreak this year, 963 confirmed cases and 188 deaths have been recorded.

    “A National Emergency Operation Centre, EOC, was activated to coordinate all response activities.

    “We’ve not dropping the ball regardless of #COVID19Nigeria,” it said.

    Lassa Fever was first discovered about 50 years ago in Nigeria and is endemic in the country.

    “Health care workers are advised to have a high index of suspicion and adhere to standard precaution always,” the body said.