The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on Friday,
announced the end of the emergency phase of Lassa fever outbreak in the
country.
This was made known in a statement signed by the Chief
Executive Officer of NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, on Friday, in Abuja.
Ihekweazu said that the announcement followed a joint
epidemiological review by the NCDC, WHO Nigeria and other partners.
According to him, on the 22nd of January 2019, the NCDC
activated a national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), to coordinate response
activities.
He said that the EOC was in response to an increase in Lassa
fever cases at the beginning of the year.
Ihekweazu added that since the beginning of the outbreak,
578 confirmed cases including 129 deaths have been recorded from 21 states as
at May 26.
He said that the NCDC, Federal Ministry of Environment, and
that of Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as other partners
coordinated by WHO Nigeria, led response activities across the country.
He, however, noted that lessons from the 2018 outbreak and the strategic response had improved preparedness through training of health workers
across the country and communications campaign before the outbreak.
According to him, this included “early deployment of
One-Health Rapid Response Teams, to affected states and support for surge staff
deployment.
”Establishment of new treatment centres in Kebbi, Benue and
Kaduna and strengthening of existing treatment centres.
“Re-positioning of
medical and treatment supplies in all 21 states with confirmed cases in 2018.
“Improved collaboration with agricultural and environmental
health stakeholders and introduction of rodent control strategies among
others,” he said.
Ihekweazu said that following a robust response, the Lassa
fever case count has significantly declined in the past seven weeks and has now
dropped below levels considered to be a national emergency.
He added that this year, there was also a decline in case the fatality rate of Lassa fever, from 27 percent in 2018 to 22 percent in 2019.
The NCDC boss said that despite the end of the emergency
phase of the outbreak, NCDC expects that sporadic cases may continue to be
reported in endemic areas.
He also said that the agency would coordinate preparedness
and response activities through a multi-sectoral Lassa Fever Technical Working
Group.
“The group’s focus is to continue monitoring cases, as well
as improve disease prevention, surveillance, diagnosis and response activities
across all levels in Nigeria.”
According to Ihekweazu, the agency will continue to improve
its knowledge, preparedness and response to Lassa fever outbreaks.
”Given that Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria, it is likely
that the country will continue to record cases of Lassa fever.
”However, we have several research strategies to improve our
knowledge of the disease.
”We are also working with states and partners to establish
more long-term strategies, such as improved risk communication, infection
prevention and control, regular environmental sanitation.
“Others are; enhanced capacity of health workers and
improvement of treatment centres, among others, ” he said.
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