Nigeria has established an emergency response center following 190 deaths from Lassa fever in 2024.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced on Monday that it has established an emergency response center following 190 deaths from the viral hemorrhagic disease known as Lassa fever.
The disease, which is primarily transmitted through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or feces of rodents, has infected 1,154 people across six states in Nigeria.
Jide Idris, the head of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), stated that the agency has classified the outbreak as high risk, prompting the activation of the Emergency Operations Center to manage the situation.
During a press conference in Abuja, he explained, “Although the disease occurs year-round, the highest transmission typically happens between October and May, coinciding with the dry season when human exposure to rodents increases.”
Priority Disease
The center will ensure continuous coordination for controlling and managing the outbreak.
Symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, and, in the most severe cases, death. The virus can also be transmitted through the bodily fluids of infected individuals.
The World Health Organization classifies Lassa fever as a priority disease due to its outbreak potential and the absence of an approved vaccine.
