Nigeria has recorded 10 new cases of Lassa fever in five states between April 6 and April 12, 2020.

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by rodents and is endemic in West African countries.

The new cases were recorded in Edo, Ondo, Kogi, Nasarawa and Plateau, according to the latest situation report published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Friday, April 17.

The new additions raise Nigeria's total number of confirmed Lassa fever cases in 2020 to 973, as of April 12. This is already more than the total of 810 cases recorded between January and December 2019.

Even though no new deaths were recorded in the week under review, Nigeria's death toll in 2020 already stands at 188, more than the 167 recorded throughout 2019.

While speaking during an interview on Channels TV on Thursday, April 16, director general of the NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said it's the largest Lassa fever outbreak ever reported in any country, 'anywhere in the world'.

At least one case of Lassa fever has been detected in 27 states across 127 local government areas across the country. The predominant age-group affected is 21-30 years.

Ondo has recorded the highest number of deaths with 44, followed by Edo with 39, Taraba with 21, and Ebonyi with 16.

Other states affected are Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Delta, Enugu, FCT, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, and Sokoto.

Lagos, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo have recorded confirmed cases, but zero deaths during the course of the year.

Lassa fever infection can happen through contact with excreta or urine of rodents; contact with a probable or confirmed Lassa fever case within a period of 21 days of onset of symptoms; or any person with inexplicable bleeding/hemorrhagia.

Symptoms of Lassa fever include malaise, fever, headache, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, myalgia, chest pain, and hearing loss.

Nigeria is equally dealing with a devastating coronavirus outbreak that has infected 2 million people across the world and, unlike Lassa fever, has interrupted the flow of social and economic activities.

As of April 16, 442 coronavirus cases have been detected in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

While 152 people have recovered, 13 deaths have been recorded.