Lassa deaths hit record high in 40 years

Lassa fever killed more people between 2015 and 2016, the highest death toll from the disease on record since it was discovered more than 40 years ago, says the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC. Across 23 states, a total 273 infections were recorded and 149 people died from contracting Lassa fever, NCDC said in […]

Lassa fever killed more people between 2015 and 2016, the highest death toll from the disease on record since it was discovered more than 40 years ago, says the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC.

Across 23 states, a total 273 infections were recorded and 149 people died from contracting Lassa fever, NCDC said in a statement.

“Of these, 165 cases and 89 deaths have been confirmed through laboratory testing,” the NCDC said.

It is case fatality ratio of 53.9%, meaning 54 in 100 people who contracted the disease died.

The latest death from Lassa fever was a female nurse at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, who died “before the laboratory result revealed she was positive for Lassa,” according to the NCDC.

“This case highlights the risk Lassa fever still poses to the lives of Nigerians, particularly at this time of the year,” it said.

“Although this case has attracted media attention, especially given the involvement of a healthcare worker, in reality it is not unique as there has been a trickle of cases from many states in Nigeria, throughout the year.”

Response

The federal health ministry has since directed NCDC to prevent a recurrence of the scale of outbreak recorded last year, and set up a Lassa fever Eradication Committee headed by epidemiologist Prof Oyewale Tomori.

NCDC has developed guidelines to strengthen states, making them able to “prevent, detect and respond to Lassa while the NCDC coordinates these efforts.”

It distributed guidelines describing necessary actions to be taken and posted the guidelines document on its website  http://www.ncdc.gov.ng/diseases/guidelines.

“These guidelines describe systems, activities, and resources at National, State and Local Government Area levels required to respond to suspected cases of Lassa fever,” the centre explained.

“It builds on lessons from previous outbreaks. A copy of the guidelines was also sent to all State Ministries of Health across the country.”

It has also mapped all states based on their risk of Lassa fever.

And teams from the centre have travelled to distribute prevention and response materials and medicines to every state.

“The prepositioning of commodities has now ensured that all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria has a full complement of emergency materials comprising of personal protection equipment, Ribavirin, disinfection sprayers, hand sanitizers, hypochlorite (bleach), case definition posters, hard copies of technical guidelines and safety boxes,” it said.

Prevention

A major aspect of responding to Lassa fever is the ability to verify the disease.

Only two laboratories, in Lagos and Edo states, have that capacity in Nigeria, and returning test results from samples takes longer time than necessary.

NCDC says it is working with them to increase their diagnostic capacities, while planning for a larger lab network nationwide.

Lassa fever, caused by the Lassa virus, is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with infected rodent urine or faeces.

It is also transmitted from human to human through contact with body fluids of an infected person.

“The key messages to Nigerians are the same as last year,” said NCDC.

“Firstly protect your food items from access to rats using whatever means that you can afford—refrigerate, cover, store properly. Secondly if you do have a fever, insist on getting tested for malaria using a rapid diagnostic test  – remembering that not every fever is malaria,” it added.

“No healthcare worker can diagnose malaria without a test, and it is the right of every Nigerian to demand a test.

“Finally and critically, health care workers must remember that healthcare settings are particularly risky, and staff should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis.

“These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.”