BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
One of three patients in the United Kingdom who health authorities in the country confirmed were infected with Lassa fever has died of the infectious virus on Friday.
Disclosing this in a statement, the UK Health Security Agency stated that they “can confirm that the probable case of Lassa fever under investigation is now confirmed, bringing the total number of cases to 3. Sadly, this individual has died.
“We are contacting the individuals who have had close contact with the cases prior to confirmation of their infection, to provide appropriate assessment, support and advice. The risk to the general public remains very low,” health authorities noted.
Speaking on the development, the UKHSA Chief Medical Advisor, Susan Hopkins stated, “Cases of Lassa fever are rare in the UK and it does not spread easily between people. The overall risk to the public is very low. We are contacting the individuals who have had close contact with the cases prior to confirmation of their infection, to provide appropriate assessment, support and advice.
“UKHSA and the NHS have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be reinforced,” Hopkins assured.
This sad development came two days after two people were diagnosed with the disease as investigation found that the infections arose within the same family in East England who had recently travelled to West Africa where the virus is endemic and originates from.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness brought about by the Lassa virus.
One can get exposed through contact with food and items contaminated with the urine and feces of rats.
The virus was discovered in 1969 when two missionary nurses died in Nigeria. The disease was named after the town in Nigeria where the first cases occurred.
According to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control in its Lassa fever Situation Report Epi Week 2: 10 – 16 January 2022, as at January 16, the total confirmed cases of Lassa fever in the country in January was put at 96 with 11 fatalities reported and 11 states recording at least one confirmed cases across 27 Local Government Areas.
Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disclosed that an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 infections of Lassa fever occur yearly with approximately 5,000 deaths.
