The WHO is trying to contain the outbreak of Lassa fever in west Africa (Image: GETTY)
The virus, which is spread by rodents and claims roughly 5,000 lives a year, is endemic in the region. While the cases are occurring during the Lassa fever season, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is alarmed at the “speed of escalation”. Cases have been recorded in 16 states in Nigeria, where the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared an outbreak of Lassa fever on January 22, 2019.
The 213 confirmed cases to date, including 42 deaths, mark a significant increase – already a third of the total cases for all of last year, when Nigeria experienced its worst outbreak of the disease.
Four health workers have been infected so far in the latest outbreak.
Health workers are focusing on early detection and confirmation of suspected cases.
They are also offering supportive care and ensuring infection prevention and control measures in designated health care facilities, with the WHO drafting in teams of experts to offer support.
Most transmissions of Lassa fever are from rats (Image: GETTY)
As well as Nigeria, a total of 12 cases have been confirmed so far in Benin, Guinea, Liberia and Togo, including two deaths, with more suspected cases being investigated.
The WHO is assisting health authorities in these countries with contact tracing as well as providing medical and non-medical supplies and technical and financial resources as required.
Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, Regional
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