Lassa fever has claimed the lives of 29 Nigerians across Nigeria as January 24, 2020.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control made the disclosure saying another 195 cases of have been reported in 11 states.

The Director-General, NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, explained that as of Friday, January 24, 29 lives have been confirmed dead as a result of Lassa fever.

Currently, Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi states have 89% of the confirmed cases of Lassa fever across Nigeria, the NCDC DG explained.

He further said that the increased number of cases at this time of the year was not unusual due to ecological factors.

The Lassa fever virus is transmitted by rodents, which can be found in the environment. The virus was first described in 1969 from a case in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, Nigeria. In 2017, Nigeria recorded another outbreak of the fever virus and was curbed until 2020.