WHO: Lassa fever outbreak response remains ongoing, mitigation measures to continue

An outbreak of the acute viral hemorrhagic fever illness called Lassa fever has recently been reported by officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) in multiple West African nations including Nigeria.

As of last month, a total of 501 suspected cases have been reported, 104 of which resulted in the deaths of the patient involved. In the remaining reported cases, 189 have been further classified by public health officials and 175 have been laboratory confirmed as Lassa infected.

Seventeen Nigerian states have reported at least one confirmed case.

According to WHO, the ongoing outbreak response is focused at the state and federal levels and involves coordination of weekly review meetings in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the University of Texas Medical Branch, and the African Field Epidemiology Network.

To mitigate further spread of the disease, enhanced viral surveillance in affected areas will continue and contact tracing remains ongoing in areas with an active outbreak through state surveillance teams. Lassa fever treatment centers have also been established in affected states to support patient case management. All centers have been supplied with appropriate infection prevention and control tools.

WHO said in a statement that the current risk assessment for further fever outbreak in Nigeria was declining. However, ongoing response measures will remain focused on preparedness and response efforts. While there is a steady stream of population movement between Nigerian states, WHO officials said large-scale disease transmission or outbreak spread had not been reported.