Declare national emergency now; set up interdisciplinary One-Health Committee — NAS

A total of 1,047 Nigerians have died of Lassa fever since the first reported case in 1969, the Nigerian Academy of Science, NAS, has stated. The NAS is the apex and official science academy of Nigeria, established in 1977 as an association of Nigeria’s foremost scientists. The President of NAS, Professor Kalu Onuoha, who made the declaration, said that over the past 50 years, Lassa fever has become a disease occurring in perennial outbreaks in nearly all the 36 States of Nigeria, with increasing numbers of suspected cases, dry season peaks, and unacceptably high case fatality rates. Read more