AN OUTBREAK of horrifying ‘rat fever' has infected 3,500 people and killed 119 since the start of the year.
– spread by infected rodents – is tearing through , with authorities issuing ‘stay at home' warnings as the virus spreads through dozens of states.
In it's most recent update on the outbreak, Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said 262 suspected cases were reported between March 17 and 23 this year – though only 41 of these were confirmed as Lassa fever.
Six of these patients died in that same week, the report stated.
This brings the total number of deaths reported so far this year to 119.
Some 3,465 suspected cases of Lassa fever have been detected, with 645 of them confirmed.
It means that the virus – which causes in cases of severe illness – currently has a fatality rate of 18.4 per cent.
Eighteen Nigeria states have recorded at least one confirmed case of Lassa fever shave recorded at least one confirmed case, through it's suspected that the virus has spread to as many as 33 states.
Seventy 70 per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported in three states: Ondo, Bauchi and Edo.
It comes after last month, in a patient who'd travelled from Nigeria to .
The NCDC first raised the alarm over a spike in infections in December 2024.
By the end of the year, 214 out of the 1,309 people confirmed to have Lassa fever had died.
Health workers in Nigeria have shared harrowing tales of trying to care for people struck down with the disease while struggling to get hold of PPE.
Meanwhile, nurses and doctors have been warned not to come to work while the virus reigns rampant.
Dr Edeth Nkantah, a physician at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo and former chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, toldVaccinesWork: “All pregnant health workers have been asked to stay at home until the incidence of the disease comes down becauseLassafever is usually very severe in pregnant women.”
Dr Divine Njadze, who also works at the FMC, shared: “We may have up to 12 suspected Lassa fever cases in a day during the peak period.
“Different doctors see the patients at intervals, so the PPE is never enough. Sometimes we run out of PPE.
“At times, we ask the patient to buy gloves, and so on, which is not ideal.
“Other times, we buy the PPE from our pockets. The National Association of Residents Doctors also provides packs of face masks for us. There's no prophylaxis for Lassa fever for now.”
Lassa fever is caused by the Lassa virus, which was first identified in 1969 after two missionary nurses died from the disease in the Nigerian town of Lassa.
The virus is listed on thethat have epidemic or.
The disease regularly crops up in parts of West , particularly Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
The virus is carried and spread by a species of rats called Mastomys rodents, which rife in these countries.
In Nigeria, cases are recorded all year round with peak transmission periods within October to May every year, according to the NCDC.
People are most commonly struck down by Lassa virus after eating contaminated food or breathing in the virus.
They may also get it from the droppings of infected rodents littering floors, home surfaces, or in food or water.
Some people eat Mastomys rodents too, and they may catch Lassa virus when catching and preparing these rodents for eating, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Lassa virus doesn't spread easily between people.
It can jump from one person to another if they have contact with the body fluids of someone who has Lassa fever, such as blood, saliva, urine or semen.
Most people withLassa Fevermake a full recovery but some people can get severely ill.
Up to 80 per cent of cases are without symptoms.
However, it can cause , weakness, , vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains and a sore throat.
In severe cases, the disease can affect many organs and can damage the body's blood vessels.
This can lead to bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, mouth and vagina, as well as breathing problems, facial swelling,and chest pain.
There is currently noto treat or preventLassa fever.
Dr Fyne Akubueze, who has been at the forefront of managingLassafever at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo, in Ondo, a vaccine would make a more reliable “shield”; against the virus than PPE and other hospital safety measures.
She told VaccinesWork: “We hope there will be a vaccine soon to protect everybody, including health workers.
“But in the meantime, maintaining a high level of hygiene is very important aside from using PPE.
“I have a bag at the entrance of my house where I put everything I wear when I return from work and wash them up.
“I do this to avoid putting my family in danger.”
