LF patient sociodemographic characteristics
There were 52 confirmed LF admitted cases at the KGHLFW for the period 2016 - 2018 (Figure 1); adults (59.6%, n = 31/52), children (40.4%, n = 21/52). Majority (65.4%, n = 34/52) of the confirmed LF cases were females; 9.5% (n = 2/21) of female LF cases were pregnant women. 2016 recorded more (40.4%, n = 21/52) LF cases than 2017 (28.8%, n = 15/52) and 2018(30.8%, n = 16/52). Majority (66.7%, n = 14/21) of the LF cases in 2016 were females; slightly more (42.9%, n = 9/21) LF cases were recorded for patients < 15 years than for men (33.3%, n = 7/21). Male and patients < 15 years recorded the same number (40.0%, n = 6/15) of LF cases in 2017; slightly more (60.0%, n = 9/15) LF cases were recorded for females. Majority (68.8%, n = 11/16) of the LF cases for 2018 were also females (Figure 1).
Firgure 1: Distribution of LF cases by sex and year
2016 recorded the highest LF cases for the period under review; 2017 and 2018 recorded almost equal number of LF cases.
2016 recorded the highest number of < 15 LF cases in this study for the period under review; 2018 recorded the lowest.
4.1 Monthly trend analysis of LF
For 2016, most of the LF cases were recorded in January (14.3%, n = 3/21) and February (14.3%, n = 3/21); no LF case was recorded for the months of April, May, October, November and December (Table 1).
Majority of the LF cases for 2017 were recorded in August (53.3%, n = 8/15); no LF case was recorded for the months of July and December.
Majority (50.0%, n = 8/16) of the LF cases were recorded in January 2018; no LF case was recorded for the months of July, August, September, November and December.
4.3 LF and case fatality rates
The overall case fatality rate (CFR) for the period under review was 67.3%. Comparatively, 2018 recorded the highest (CFR = 75.0%, n= 12/16) for the period under review; 2016 (CFR = 71.4%, n= 15/21), 2017 (CFR = 53.3%, n= 8/15). Men generally had higher CFR compared to women. The CFR for all categories (children and adult) of men and women in 2016 was 100% (n = 7/7) and 57.1% (n = 8/14) respectively. The CFR for all categories (children and adult) of men and women in 2017 was 66.7% (n = 4/6) and 44.4% (n = 4/9) respectively, while the CFR for all categories (children and adult) of men and women in 2018 was 80.0% (n = 4/5) and 72.7% (n = 8/11) respectively (Table 1, 2, 3). The CFRs for adults in 2017 (66.7%, n = 6/9) and 2018 (100%, n = 10/10) were higher than that of children. The CFR for children in 2017 and 2018 were 33.3% (n = 2/6) each respectively. The CFR for children in 2016 was higher (88.8%, n = 8/9) than that of adults (58.3%, n = 7/12).
Table 1. Confirmed LF cases admitted at the KGH Lassa Fever Ward in 2016
|
Category
|
No. of confirmed cases
|
No. of death
|
Children
|
Adult
|
Children
|
Adult
|
Female
|
5
|
9
|
4
|
4
|
Male
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
Total
|
9
|
12
|
8
|
7
|
CFR (%)
|
88.8
|
58.3
|
Majority of the LF cases for 2016 were adults but children have the highest CFR.
Table 2. Confirmed LF cases admitted at the KGH Lassa Fever Ward in 2017
|
Category
|
No. of confirmed cases
|
No. of death
|
Children
|
Adult
|
Children
|
Adult
|
Female
|
4
|
5
|
1
|
3
|
Male
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
Total
|
6
|
9
|
2
|
6
|
CFR (%)
|
33.3
|
66.7
|
From table 2, majority of the LF cases in 2017 were adults; adult also recorded the highest CFR.
Table 3. Confirmed LF cases admitted at the KGH Lassa Fever Ward in 2018
|
Category
|
No. of confirmed cases
|
No. of death
|
|
Children
|
Adult
|
Children
|
Adult
|
Female
|
3
|
8
|
0
|
8
|
Male
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
Total
|
6
|
10
|
2
|
10
|
CFR (%)
|
33.3
|
100
|
From table 3, majority of the LF cases in 2018 were adults; all adult cases died during treatment.