Abuja, May 16 (UNI) The death toll of the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, has risen to 138 since the beginning of this year, public health authorities said Thursday.

In a statement posted to its website, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said that 717 confirmed cases have been recorded so far.

At least 18 out of the 36 states in the country have been affected by the viral hemorrhagic disease so far this year, with the southern states of Ondo and the northern states of Bauchi and Taraba the worst-hit, accounting for more than 71 percent of the total confirmed cases, the NCDC said. This development, according to the public health agency, has "signalled persistent hotspots despite nationwide interventions."

With the latest death toll, the case fatality rate has risen to 19.2 percent, the NCDC said, noting that overall, this rise in the casualties figure remained alarming.

The public health agency said young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 are the most affected, with the median age of infection reported at 30 years. It noted that more males than females had been affected, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.

The NCDC identified poor health-seeking behavior, high treatment costs in some areas, and limited awareness in high-burden communities as major challenges. It has so far activated a multi-sectoral incident management system to coordinate nationwide response efforts.

In 2024, Nigeria reported 214 deaths from Lassa fever, according to the NCDC.

Lassa fever is primarily spread through food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or feces. Human transmission occurs through direct contact with rat saliva, urine, or excrement.

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