* 188 citizens died in 3 months

* 963 cases in 27 states

* ‘Disease deserves more attention’

In the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Lassa fever has killed at least 188 Nigerians this year, with experts saying the disease has wreaked havoc since its discovery in the country 51 years ago. Health officials have, therefore, called for a corresponding attention to end the Lassa fever, emphasising that it is equally a deadly disease that has taken a toll on the citizens and medical practitioners over the years. It was gathered that from January this year to the first week of April, 963 people have fallen ill with the disease across 27 states of the country.

Lassa fever has also killed 56 people from the last week of February when the first case of coronavirus (COVID-19) was recorded in Nigeria. Minister of Health, Prof Osagie Emmanuel Ehanire Minister of Health, Prof Osagie Emmanuel Ehanire As at Tuesday, April 14, Nigeria recorded 373 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) and 11 deaths. This is by far below the number of people infected or killed by Lassa fever within the same period. A breakdown showed that within the period, out of the 963 Lassa fever infections, the mortality rate is 19.52 per cent. On the other hand, out of the 373 cases of COVID-19 recorded, the mortality rate is 2.95 per cent.

Daily Trust observed that out of the total of 199 mortalities recorded from both Lassa fever and COVID-19 within the period, Lassa fever accounted for 94.5 per cent of the total deaths while COVID-19 accounted for 5.5 per cent of the total deaths. A situation report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) also revealed that 985 people were receiving treatment at various centres for Lassa fever, saying 37 health workers have also been affected by the disease this year. According to the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), six doctors have lost their lives to Lassa fever this year alone. This excludes laboratory scientists and technicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other health workers that have lost their lives to the disease.

There are growing concerns that while attention is being paid to the coronavirus outbreak with financial interventions from the public and private sector, little or no attention is being paid to Lassa fever, which is wreaking more havoc and has been endemic since the country recorded its first case in 1969.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lassa-fever-killing-nigerians-more-than-covid-19.html

Must it be up to that before we wake up?!

And ncdc is busy recording it as coronavirus..mostly,cases from north.