Lassa fever kills two in Katsina

Katsina State has recorded a new case of Lassa fever, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the state to three, with two recent deaths.

A consultant in infectious diseases at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar, confirmed the development in an interview on Wednesday.

“As I’m talking to you now, three cases have been confirmed. Two died. One was from Kafur, the other from Funtua. The third case is currently here in our isolation centre, and she’s recovering well,” he said.

The surviving patient is the wife of a man who recently died from the virus. According to Abubakar, she is stable and responding positively to treatment.

He commended the hospital’s emergency response team for swiftly isolating her to prevent panic and further spread.

Abubakar, who also chairs the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Katsina, raised concern over what he described as a more severe pattern in this year’s Lassa fever outbreak.

He said the fatality rate has increased significantly, noting that “nearly one in four infected persons is dying,” compared to the usual 10–30 per cent fatality rate.

He disclosed that since January, Nigeria has recorded more than 1,000 suspected and confirmed cases of Lassa fever, with about 145 deaths.

He also highlighted a shift in the geographic spread of the disease, explaining that while past outbreaks were concentrated in Borno, Yobe, and parts of Edo, more than 90 per cent of current cases are now found in Benue, Ondo, Taraba, Edo and Plateau states.

Abubakar attributed the change to factors such as climate change, insecurity, displacement of communities, poor hygiene, and increased rodent activity in homes.

He urged health workers to maintain a high index of suspicion when treating fever cases and to use personal protective equipment consistently. He identified the multimammate rat — a small rodent with multiple mammary glands — as the primary carrier of the virus, warning residents to prevent rats from accessing food and household items.

Abubakar also cautioned parents against allowing children to hunt rodents, stressing that contact with infected rat droppings or urine remains a major transmission route.

Calling for faster laboratory processes, he said PCR test results should ideally be ready within one to two days to ensure timely treatment. He also appreciated the Katsina State Government for providing drugs and other essential supplies to support the hospital’s response efforts.

Lassa fever is a serious viral haemorrhagic illness found in parts of West Africa.

It spreads mainly through food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.

Early symptoms include fever, headache, weakness and sore throat, while severe cases can involve bleeding, swelling and shock.