Worried by the outbreak of Lassa fever in about 12 states in Nigeria which has recorded almost 400 suspected cases and claimed no fewer than 40 lives, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is making efforts to stop the disease from spreading to other parts of the country.
? NEMA acting zonal coordinator, North West, Alhaji Musa Ilallah, said that enquiries conducted by experts showed that people become infected by eating food contaminated with rat excreta/urine deposited on food and water or surfaces like floors, and household utensils, and by direct contact or inhalation of infected body fluids such as blood, saliva and urine.
??? Ilallah gave the public the tips to avoid infection: “avoiding contact between rats and human being, keeping house/environment clean, cooking and covering of foods and water properly, discarding any food eaten by rats, blocking rats’ hideouts, avoiding exposing food where rats can have access and bush burning.”
So far, according to reports gathered by NEMA, not fewer than 12 states had recorded cases of Lassa fever and this prompted the agency to sensitize the populace on the dangers and likelihood of the disease spreading to other parts of the country.
? “NEMA urges members of the public to take precautionary measures against the disease by adhering to good hygiene and to? promptly report noticed cases of symptoms among people to the appropriate health authorities,” he concluded.
LEADERSHIP checks revealed that Lassa fever was first discovered 43 years ago in Lassa, Borno State, and since then the disease has continued to spread to other places, especially in the coast of West African region.