Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has declared the emergency phase of the 2020 Lassa fever outbreak over following successive decline in cases below the emergency threshold, and an epidemiological review carried out by NCDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
On January 24, NCDC declared Lassa Fever outbreak and immediately activated National Lassa Fever Emergency Operation Centre to respond to the outbreak which had exceeded the threshold for an outbreak.
Since the beginning of the outbreak in January, 979 confirmed cases, including 188 deaths have been recorded from across 27 states including the FCT, as at 19th April.
NCDC in a statement released in Abuja, on Tuesday, confirmed that Lassa Fever case count has significantly declined in the last three weeks below the level considered to be national emergency.
It also highlighted that there was a decline in the case of fatality of Lassa Fever from 23 percent in 2019 to 19 percent in 2020.
“Despite the end of the Emergency phase of the outbreak, NCDC will continue to coordinate the multisectoral Lassa Fever Technical Working Group (TWG) as they ensure continuous monitoring of cases as well as strengthening of Lassa Fever surveillance, diagnostic, treatment and other response activities across all levels in Nigeria.”