Attachments
ESCALATING THE LASSA FEVER EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE TO LEVEL THREE
In Epi-week 8, Nigeria recorded 1081 suspected cases in the current Lassa fever outbreak. Of this, 325 cases have been classified as: 317 confirmed cases, 8 probable cases with 72 deaths (64 in Lab confirmed and 8 in probable) have been recorded giving a case fatality rate (CFR) of 22%. The number of confirmed cases recorded so far surpasses the number of confirmed cases (312) recorded in the year 2017.
With the increasing number of cases, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control which activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in January 2018 has escalated this to highest possible level- Level 3.
Implications of escalating the current Lassa fever outbreak to Level 3 includes:
-
The primary focus of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will be to channel all available resources to control this outbreak.
-
Request for support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners to control the outbreak.
-
Deployment of additional manpower with core technical expertise in outbreak response and management.
-
Increase in field response activities in affected States
-
Increased callout to affected states to increase support for the response.
Following the escalation, the National Lassa fever Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has stepped up its coordination activities with an increase in manpower including Rapid Response Teams in affected States, requisition for needed consumables, targeted risk communication activities which are all focused on controlling the outbreak. Further information on the Lassa fever outbreak control efforts can be accessed on the NCDC website: www.ncdc.gov.ng
SUMMARY OF REPORTS
In the reporting week ending on February 18, 2018:
o There were 128 new cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) reported. None was confirmed as Polio. The last reported case of Polio in Nigeria was in August 2016. Active case search for AFP is being intensified as Nigeria has reinvigorated its efforts at eradicating Polio.
o Three suspected cases of Cholera were reported from Kaduna South LGA in Kaduna States. Of these, none was laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded.
o 55 suspected cases of Lassa fever were reported from 21 LGAs in 11 States (Bauchi – 1, Ebonyi – 2, Edo – 10, Ekiti – 2, FCT- 2, Kebbi – 1, Kwara - 2, Nasarawa – 2, Ondo – 26, Plateau – 4 & Rivers - 4). 21 were laboratory confirmed and eight deaths were recorded.
o There were 128-suspected cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) reported from 41 LGAs in 16 States (Adamawa – 1, Bauchi – 1, Enugu – 1, , Gombe - 8, Jigawa – 10, Kano – 1, Katsina - 12, Kebbi – 8, Nasarawa – 1,Niger – 11, Sokoto – 12, Taraba – 6, Yobe - 8 & Zamfara - 48). Of these, two were laboratory confirmed and ten deaths were recorded. Ongoing surveillance for CSM has been intensified in all the 26 States in the Nigeria meningitis belt and case-based surveillance commenced from 4th December 2017
o There were 507- suspected cases of Measles reported from 34 States. None was laboratory confirmed and four deaths were recorded.
In the reporting week, all States sent in their report except Cross River and Delta States. Timeliness of reporting decreases from 90% in the previous week to 86% in the current week (week 6 & 7, 2018) while completeness also decreases from 100% to 98% at the same period. It is very important for all States to ensure timely and complete reporting at all times, especially during an outbreak.