ABUJA, Nigeria

The death toll in Nigeria from Lassa fever has risen to 22 since the start of the year, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said Wednesday.

In a statement, the NCDC said the outbreak has spread to seven states, with 484 suspected cases identified since January, of which 143 have tested positive.

Last year, the disease claimed 190 lives nationwide.

Authorities noted that three drugs have been approved for treatment, aiming to mitigate the outbreak’s impact.

Lassa fever, a disease transmitted from animals to humans which is primarily found in West African countries, was first detected in Nigeria in 1969 in the northeastern state of Borno.

In January 2019, the Nigerian government declared a state of emergency due to Lassa fever.

The disease, which is transmitted through contact with rat feces, can spread from person to person and causes fatal hemorrhagic fever.

Authorities are urging the public to avoid contact with rats and other rodents.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul