The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that Lassa fever, a viral disease carried by rodents, has claimed 118 lives in the country during the first three months of this year.

The outbreak, spanning January to March, saw 645 confirmed cases, resulting in a fatality rate of 18.3%, according to NCDC Director General Jide Idris.

In a statement released on Monday, Idris highlighted the persistent threat posed by the virus, first identified in 1969 in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria. The disease continues to claim thousands of lives, particularly in rural areas where unsanitary food handling practices allow rats to contaminate homes, food supplies, and utensils. Despite years of public health campaigns aimed at prevention, the NCDC notes little progress in improving environmental hygiene among impoverished rural communities, a key factor in curbing the spread of the disease.

The latest figures align with a troubling trend, as Nigeria has recorded approximately 100 deaths from Lassa fever each quarter in recent times. Among the cases reported this year, more than 20 healthcare workers across five of the 33 affected states have been infected, underscoring the risks faced by frontline medical staff. Idris pointed to staffing shortages at treatment centers and delays in patients seeking proper medical care as major challenges. Many individuals, he noted, continue to rely on ineffective self-medication and unorthodox treatments rather than visiting healthcare facilities.

The NCDC continues to urge improved sanitation practices and timely medical intervention to combat the ongoing public health crisis. For the latest updates on this story and other medical breakthroughs, subscribe to the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. (ILKHA)