Even though there are 1,482 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, with 30 deaths, Lassa fever in the state had been put at 363 confirmed cases with 63 deaths.The Lassa fever tally of the state has gradually increased from 44 deaths in Week 14 dated April 5, 2020 to 63 in week 32, the same period when the COVID-19 pandemic became endemic in the country.
Incidentally, Edo State, which has a total of 338 confirmed cases as of week 32, has recorded no death since week 14, when it had 314 confirmed cases.Ebonyi has 7 per cent of the cases but has recorded 22 deaths so far. The total national figure for the Lassa fever deaths is 188; Ondo and Edo states take more than half of the casualties.An Ondo State Epidemiologist, Steven Fagbemi, told PREMIUM TIMES that the Lassa fever scourge had appeared more deadly than the dreaded COVID-19, as the cases had continued to trickle in when it was expected to decline during the raining period.
“Normally we should not be expecting cases at all at this time, but they keep coming in and trickling in and we are not happy about it,” he said.“Lassa is still very much a deadly disease, far more deadly than COVID-19.”