Lassa Fever Outbreak Claims Lives in Nigeria,Sparks Emergency response
Abuja,Nigeria - A rapidly escalating outbreak of Lassa fever is turning communities across Nigeria into graveyards,wiht 172 deaths confirmed since January 1st,according too a recent statement from the nation’s Center for Disease Control. The surge in cases – totaling 924 nationwide – has prompted a state of emergency declared by the Nigerian government on January 23, 2019.
The virus, first identified in Nigeria in 1969 in Borno province, is spread through contact with the feces of infected rodents and can also transmit person-to-person. It causes a severe hemorrhagic fever, often proving fatal.
Health officials report that the 21-30 age group is disproportionately affected, and men are more susceptible to infection than women.Last year alone, 190 Nigerians succumbed to the disease.
The outbreak isn’t limited to nigeria’s borders. Cases have been reported in neighboring countries including Mali, Togo, ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, raising concerns about a wider regional crisis. Authorities are urging the public to practice strict hygiene and avoid contact with mice and other rodents to curb the spread of this deadly disease.
