The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed
that 29 deaths and 195 confirmed cases of Lassa fever had been reported in 11
states of the federation.
Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General, NCDC, who disclosed
this in a statement he signed on Saturday in Abuja, explained that the current
figures were as at Friday, January 24.
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Ihekweazu, said out of the confirmed cases, 89 per cent were
from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi States.
The NCDC boss said that the increased number of cases at
this time of the year was not unusual due to ecological factors.
He said that in response to the increasing number of Lassa
fever cases across the states in the country, NCDC activated a National Emergency
Operations Centre (EOC) on Friday to coordinate response activities.
Ihekweazu said that the EOC includes representatives from
the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Environment, World
Health Organisation, UNICEF, US Centres for Disease Control, and other
partners.
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, being addressed the
Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe
Ihekweazu (middle) and the laboratory team during his visit to the NCDC
National Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa, Abuja recently.
He said that NCDC would continue to support states in
strengthening their preparedness and response capacity.
He added that over the last three weeks, NCDC had deployed
Rapid Response Teams to support five of the affected states.
According to him, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, led
a high-level delegation to Kano State on Saturday, following the deaths of two
health workers infected with Lassa fever.
The NCDC DG added that the centre had rapidly increased risk communications and community engagement activities to ensure that Nigerians were aware of the risks of Lassa fever and measures to protect themselves.
(Tribune)