Lassa fever in Nigeria

As of June 30, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported 928 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 162 associated deaths, a case fatality rate of 17·5%. Over 30 cases have been confirmed among health-care workers, an even male-to-female ratio among confirmed cases has been observed, individuals aged 21–30 years are the most affected age group, and the number of suspected cases has increased compared to the same period last year. NCDC has established a national technical working group to coordinate response activities at all levels. Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease caused by Lassa virus (LASV) that is primarily found in multimammate rodents in west Africa.