Seventeen weeks after the first suspected yellow fever case in the country, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has confirmed 358 suspected cases according to the latest situation report releases yesterday.
The agency also announced in the reporting week, one new confirmed case from Borgu Local Government Areas (LGA) Niger State was confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Reference Laboratory, Dakar- the first confirmed case in Niger.
Since the onset of the outbreak, a total of 358 suspected yellow fever cases has been confirmed as of 2nd January, 2018.
The current outbreak started with a case of Yellow fever confirmed in Ifelodun LGA in Kwara State, on September 12th, 2017.
According to the NCDC, the outbreak is currently active in Nigeria with seven states recording confirmed cases (Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Zamfara, Kebbi, Nasarawa and Niger) in twelve (LGAs).
However, a total of 16 states have reported suspected cases (Abia, Borno, Kogi, Kwara, Kebbi, Plateau, Zamfara, Enugu, Oyo, Anambra, Edo, Lagos, Kano, Nasarawa, Katsina and Niger States) in 62 (LGAs)
The agency report also states that of the 358 suspected cases, 230 (64.2 per cent have had blood samples collected and sent to the laboratory for confirmation.
Of the 230 samples collected, 63 (27.4 per cent) tested positive for yellow fever and 1 (0.4 per cent) inconclusive result in five Nigerian laboratories, the report states.
The agency further reveals that as at 2nd January 2018, 33 samples (51.6 per cent) samples out of the 64 (positive and inconclusive) samples in Nigeria were confirmed positive by the WHO Reference Laboratory, Dakar. 24 were negative and 7 results are being awaited.
Predominant age groups affected are 20 years and below accounting for 67.8 per cent. Male to female ratio is 1.6 to 1 (Male 62.0 per cent, Female 38.0per cent)
Total number of deaths in all cases (among suspected, probable and confirmed cases) is 45, and 9 among confirmed cases.
Case fatality rate (CFR) for all cases (including suspected, probable and confirmed) is 12.6 per cent, and 27.3 per cent for confirmed cases.
Anthonia Obokoh
