14 people die of Lassa fever in southern Nigeria
Public health authorities in Nigeria have announced that the number of people who have died from Lassa fever in the southern state of Ebonyi has increased from 10 to 14 people since the beginning of this year 2024.
Hyacinth Ebenyi, the director of public health in Ebonyi state, has told journalists in the state's capital, Abakaliki, that 14 people are among the patients who have been confirmed to have died of Lassa fever so far. At least 110 suspected cases of Lassa fever have been registered in Ebonyi since the beginning of this year 2024. Hyacinth Ebenyi has said that there is a large increase in cases of Lassa fever right now and it is an epidemic in the state. Rats are the main cause of the deadly Lassa fever Lassa fever is a disease that spreads to humans through food or household items contaminated with rat urine or feces. It is said that you become infected when the saliva, urine and feces of rats come into contact with humans. The current outbreak of the disease in Ebonyi has prompted urgent efforts of cooperation between the central government and the relevant authorities to stop the spread of the disease which is contagious at a high speed. The Ebonyi state government said on Sunday this week that at least 25 people, including two health workers, contracted the disease between January 4 and February 16. Hyacinth Ebenyi has said that the disease is highly contagious during the summer, asking people to stop eating rats and not allow the insects to touch their food. In 2023, at least 219 people died out of 1,227 confirmed cases of Lassa fever in Nigeria.
