Three health workers die as Lassa Fever spreads across 18 states, NCDC confirms

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that three healthcare workers are among those who have died in the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak, as infections surge during the peak transmission period.

Director-General of the agency, Jide Idris, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday. He said 28 healthcare workers have been infected so far this season, with three fatalities recorded.

The NCDC reported that Lassa fever cases and deaths have been documented in 18 states and 67 local government areas nationwide.

According to the agency, Bauchi State, Ondo State, Taraba State, Edo State and Benue State account for more than 80 per cent of confirmed infections.

The agency described the growing number of infections among healthcare workers as alarming, stressing the urgent need for strict compliance with infection prevention and control protocols in health facilities across the country.

Idris said the disease follows a predictable seasonal pattern in Nigeria, with the peak transmission period occurring during the dry season between November and April.

The DG noted that current surveillance and field assessments show that most infections are occurring within known endemic areas. 

However, investigations have also identified operational gaps that are contributing to continued transmission and higher fatality rates, the agency stated.

According to the NCDC, some infections have occurred in general outpatient departments and maternity settings of health facilities, while adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines remains inconsistent in some locations.

The agency also identified other factors driving transmission and mortality, including inadequate pre-positioning of personal protective equipment, delayed presentation of patients to health facilities, gaps in contact tracing and active case search in some local government areas, and persistent stigma and misconceptions that discourage early care-seeking.

Idris also pointed to inconsistent activation or monitoring of State Incident Management Systems and the management of cases in isolation centres that do not fully meet recommended standards.

The NCDC said that under Nigeria’s federal system, outbreak response implementation and health service delivery standards fall largely within the responsibility of state governments, while the agency provides national coordination and technical support.

Idris therefore called on state governments to strengthen their response efforts in order to reduce transmission and prevent avoidable deaths.

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He urged states to fully activate and monitor their incident management systems in affected and high-risk areas, release funds for outbreak preparedness and response, and enforce infection prevention and control compliance in both public and private health facilities.

The NCDC also advised states to ensure continuous availability of protective equipment in high-burden areas, improve surveillance and laboratory operations, and intensify community awareness campaigns with the involvement of traditional and religious leaders.

According to the agency, financial barriers that delay patients from seeking early treatment should also be addressed in order to reduce mortality.

Idris added that environmental sanitation, rodent control and safer food storage practices should be strengthened in endemic areas through collaboration between health, agriculture and environmental authorities.

He also urged healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion and strictly apply infection prevention measures when attending to patients.

The NCDC noted that Nigeria is currently responding to several epidemic-prone diseases, including Cerebrospinal Meningitis, Diphtheria, Mpox and Cholera.

The agency advised members of the public to maintain clean environments, store food properly, eliminate rodents in homes and communities, and seek early medical attention if symptoms associated with Lassa fever occur.

It added that Lassa fever is treatable and that early detection and treatment significantly improve survival outcomes.