Tracking the next pandemic: Avian Flu Talk |
Lassa Fever: Nigeria |
Post Reply |
Author | |
Technophobe
Assistant Admin Joined: January 16 2014 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 88450 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Posted: January 27 2020 at 9:06am |
Lassa fever outbreak kills dozens in Nigeria
At least 29 killed and 195 cases of the disease confirmed in the latest outbreak to hit the country, government says. 8 hours ago Lassa fever outbreak kills dozens in Nigeria Nigerian authorities have announced increased emergency measures to contain the latest outbreak of Lassa fever in the West African country, following the death of 29 people this month from the viral disease. "As at 24th of January 2020, 195 confirmed cases and 29 deaths had been reported in 11 states," the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said in a statement on Saturday. A national emergency operations centre had been activated to coordinate the response "to the increasing number of Lassa fever cases" across the country. Lassa fever outbreak kills dozens in Nigeria At least 29 killed and 195 cases of the disease confirmed in the latest outbreak to hit the country, government says. 8 hours ago What is Lassa fever? Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the Ebola and Marburg viruses but is much less deadly. The disease is endemic to the West African country and its name comes from the town of Lassa in northern Nigeria where it was first identified in 1969. Previously, cases of the disease have been reported in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo and Benin - where it killed at least 9 people in 2016. How is it spread? The virus is transmitted to humans from contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent faeces or urine. The disease is endemic in the rodent population in parts of West Africa. The virus, which has an incubation period of between six to 21 days, can also be transmitted through contact with an infected person via bodily fluids and excretions: blood, urine, saliva, sperm, vomit, faeces. Lassa fever outbreak kills dozens in Nigeria At least 29 killed and 195 cases of the disease confirmed in the latest outbreak to hit the country, government says. 8 hours ago Lassa fever outbreak kills dozens in Nigeria Lassa fever is transmitted to humans from contacts with food or household items contaminated with rodent faeces or urine [File: Simon Akam/Reuters] Nigerian authorities have announced increased emergency measures to contain the latest outbreak of Lassa fever in the West African country, following the death of 29 people this month from the viral disease. "As at 24th of January 2020, 195 confirmed cases and 29 deaths had been reported in 11 states," the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said in a statement on Saturday. A national emergency operations centre had been activated to coordinate the response "to the increasing number of Lassa fever cases" across the country. What is Lassa fever? Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the Ebola and Marburg viruses but is much less deadly. The disease is endemic to the West African country and its name comes from the town of Lassa in northern Nigeria where it was first identified in 1969. Previously, cases of the disease have been reported in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo and Benin - where it killed at least 9 people in 2016. How is it spread? The virus is transmitted to humans from contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent faeces or urine. The disease is endemic in the rodent population in parts of West Africa. The virus, which has an incubation period of between six to 21 days, can also be transmitted through contact with an infected person via bodily fluids and excretions: blood, urine, saliva, sperm, vomit, faeces. Symptoms and treatment Lassa fever is asymptomatic in 80 percent of cases but for some, it can cause fever, physical fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches, abdominal pains or sore throat. Swelling of the neck or face can sometimes be observed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the antiviral drug ribavirin appears to be an effective treatment for Lassa fever "if given early on in the course of the clinical illness". Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation with some 200 million people, has five laboratories with the capability to diagnose Lassa fever. Previous outbreaks The number of Lassa fever infections across West Africa every year is between 100,000 to 300,000, with about 5,000 deaths, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Last year, the disease claimed more than 160 lives in Nigeria. In some areas of Sierra Leone and Liberia, 10 to 16 percent of the people admitted to hospitals annually have Lassa fever, according to the US CDC, demonstrating the serious impact the disease has on the region. The number of cases usually climbs in January due to weather conditions during the dry season. Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/lassa-fever-outbreak-kills-dozens-nigeria-200127062952931.html |
|
How do you tell if a politician is lying?
His lips or pen are moving. |
|
Post Reply | |
Tweet
|
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You can vote in polls in this forum |