Lassa Fever: Nigeria Records 11 Deaths, 96 Cases In Two Weeks

Lassa virus is transmitted to man by infected multi-mammate rats and humans become infected from direct contact with the urine and faeces of the rat carrying the virus.

It is an acute viral illness and a viral haemorrhagic fever contracted by touching soiled objects, eating contaminated food, or exposure to open cuts or sores.

Secondary transmission from person to person can also occur as a result of exposure to the virus in the blood, tissue, urine, faeces or other bodily secretions of an infected patient.

Between January 10 to 16, the NCDC said 244 suspected cases of Lassa fever were logged across 16 local government areas of eight states.

While 48 of the suspected cases were confirmed, six new infected patients lost the fight to the disease. The confirmed cases were reported from Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Benue, Kogi, Oyo, Taraba, and Ebonyi States.

Similarly, the health agency revealed that three new healthcare workers in Edo State contracted the disease last week.