The Lassa fever outbreak in the country has killed 101 people, as West Africa battles to contain a flare-up of the virus, according to data from the nation’s health authorities yesterday.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) statistics showed that reported cases of the hemorrhagic disease — confirmed and suspected — stood at 175 with a total of 101 deaths since August.
“As at today, 19 (including Abuja) states are currently following up contacts or have suspected cases with laboratory results pending or laboratory confirmed cases,” the NCDC said in a statement.
Deaths from the virus were recorded in the nation’s political capital, Abuja, Lagos and 14 other states, the NCDC said.
Although the federal ministry of health had said the virus had been brought under control, there are fears the actual scale of the outbreak is under-reported.