Oluwole Josiah-Uanzekin
The Lassa Fever scourge is still endemic despite torrential rains, as Edo and Ondo States recorded more infections and some fatalities.
With two deaths recorded in the last week 32(August 9-15), Nigeria’s death tally is now 73 since the beginning of the new Lassa season.
The challenge is even difficult given that Nigeria is yet to fully curtail the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although the nation did not record a death from Lassa in Week 30, which is between July 26 and August 1, the records of the National Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) showed that by week 31 and week 32, three persons have died of the disease.
Experts believe that the current situation is occurring at its lowest ebb, but the Ondo State Epidemiologist, Stephen Fagbemi, says the Lassa infection occurs all year round.
With the sharp drop in temperatures occasioned by the raining season, the fatalities have been dropping in trickles.
For instance, in week 28(July 12-18) the nation recorded no Lassa deaths even though there were five confirmed cases of the disease.
However, in Week 29(July 19-25), one death was recorded out of 4 confirmed cases. There were no deaths in week 30(July 26-August 1) but there were 12 confirmed cases of the infection.
The number of confirmed cases then dropped from 12 in week 30 to 4 in week 31, but one death was recorded. The 4 cases were reported from Ondo and Edo States.
Infections increased in Week 32(August 9-15) as the number of confirmed cases tallied at 31 with infections coming from Edo, Ondo and Enugu States.
The total number of confirmed cases nationwide is now 354 of the number, Edo has 158, while Ondo trails with 117.
Of the fatalities, Ondo has the highest, with a total of 38 followed by Edo, with 14. Others are Taraba, 12; Ebonyi, 2; Bauchi, 2; Kaduna, 4; and Enugu, 1.
Government officials in Ondo and Edo believe that they are winning the fight against Lassa Fever, given the fact that at the current week in 2020, about 1,060 cases were confirmed, with 220 deaths, compared with the 354 confirmed cases and 73 deaths recorded so far in 2021.
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