Lassa fever fatality rises to 19.1 percent, 681 confirmed cases in 23 states — FG

The Federal Government has said Lassa Fever confirmed cases is on the rise as the present fatality rate is 19.1%.

It further disclosed that currently, there has been 3746 suspected cases, in 23 States and 681 confirmed cases with 132 deaths currently.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora at the bi-weekly Press Briefing on Update on COVID-19 pandemic Response and Development in the Health Sector, however said part of Government’s response and Interventions to Lassa Fever are enforcement of environmental Sanitation and focus on Long term improvement of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities to eliminate Cholera.

On COVID-19 response, Mamora said as at 10th of April 2022, it has been recorded that 4,969,571 million persons have been tested for COVID-19 using either Polymerase Chain Reaction or Rapid Diagnostic Test.

According to him,there has been increase in Lagos State, decline in FCT, stability in three States of Kaduna, Kwara and Rivers while others cannot be ascertained.

“As at 11 April, 2022 the reports from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reveals that about 255,468 Nigerians have tested positive to the virus, there are 2,719 active cases while 249,607 people have been treated and discharged, while 3,142 have lost their lives sadly”.

“COVID-19 safety measures have also been revised with effect from April 2022 which include Mask wearing in enclosed environments is strongly recommended, personal discretion is advised in open places amongst others”.

“The Federal Government has also commenced planning on the inauguration of scaling up sequencing at the end of April, 2022”.

“The NPHCDA has confirmed that Nationally, 60% of People that have received their first dose have returned to take their second doses and that the NPHCDA is making conscious efforts to reduce wastage rates of vaccine minimally by ensuring that all forms of hesitancy are handled and people complete their doses”.

“Some of the strategies employed to curb vaccine wastage are the Service Integration Strategy and also innovations which has yielded positive results so far”.

“Despite all efforts, a lot still has to be done to reach the 50% eligible population vaccinated by second quarter of the year 2022”.

“The total number of eligible population fully vaccinated with first and second dose as at 10th April, 2022 is 13,588,718, while for first dose is 23,012,700 and for 2″ dose is 10,727,259 of the total eligible population targeted which is 111,776,503”.

“Point of Entry records shows that there has been high compliance of PCR result on arrival at inbounds States especially in Lagos and Abuja and a negligible number of passengers that seek for PCR test on arrival”.

“However, little resistance has been noticed in Kano and Enugu with passengers not wanting to pay for their PCR test. 91.3% has been recorded for travel permit compliance in Lagos while FCT is following closely with 71.17%. Also, there hasn’t been any positive cases recorded for COVID-19 PCR test at the oil platforms”.

“The case Management Pillar has recorded 31 new cases from 6 States (Kaduna, FCT, Abia, Rivers, Delta and Lagos having the highest number of cases )”.

“As at 8th of April, 2022, the total number of confirmed cases was 255,606, active cases was 2,746, total number of discharges 249,718 and fortunately no new deaths have been recorded in the past 7 weeks”.

“The Ministry in collaboration with WHO commemorated the 2022 World Health Day with theme: Our Planet, Our Health on the 72nd World Health Day in 2022.

“This year’s commemoration took a deep dive into the current impact of various environmental crises such as climate change, avoidable pollution, foodborne diseases, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and extreme weather events on the planet’s health and most especially the health of every living creature – humans, plants and animals”.

“To change the current native, the Federal Government has initiated discussion with relevant stakeholders to discourse on the central scientific issues that will improve the health of humans and the entire planet at large”.

“The Ministry will focus on the strategic areas to change the present narrative by prioritizing long term decision-making that stabilizes the welfare and security of Nigerians and their environment and also Prioritizing efforts that will keep the private sector and other socioeconomic Organisations environmental and health goals in safe hands”.

“Implementing policies that reduce the use of fossil fuels, fossil fuel subsidies, its exploration and shift projects to increase clean energy production and use”.

Also, The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) refuted the media reports, which said Nigeria witnessed 49 percent increase in COVID-19 cases in April 2022.

Adetifa however said the agency was strengthening its national laboratory network, as he added that eight States could now test about 1000 samples per week.