Within the last three years, we have been alerted to news of the outbreak of Lassa fever in different states across Nigeria. Hundreds of lives have been victimized by the disease with over a hundred deaths reported thus far, and after the incidence [of the epidemic in 2017, Nigerians would have wished they had heard the last of the disease. But exactly one year later, Lassa fever has made a comeback with Ebonyi state being the worst hit in this latest spread. Cases of the infection have also been reported in Anambra, Rivers, Imo, Edo, Delta, Plateau, Nassarawa, Taraba, Benue, Bauchi, Kogi, Osun, Ondo and Lagos. Of all these cases, thirty-one deaths have been recorded so far- a third of these deaths involved health practitioners.

What is Lassa Fever?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness that can manifest within 2 - 21 days after an individual has been infected with Lassa virus. The disease can be transmitted to humans by direct contact [or after ingesting food contaminated] with the urine or faeces of a particular species of rodent- Mastomys rats being the typical vector [of the virus]. Nonetheless, person-to-person transmission- whereby an exchange of fluid with an infected person occurs or needle/syringe is shared with such a person- is also possible.

Symptoms
With the onset of Lassa fever come symptoms such as malaise, fever, fatigue, headache, sore throat and pain in the chest and muscles. And as the virus begins to take full control of the (human) host cell, other symptoms like diarrhea, cough, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, swelling in the face, bleeding from the nose and mouth among other severe complications could surface.

Preventing the scourge
It is quite worrisome to see how, in the space of one year, the virus has beaten the Lassa Fever Eradication Committee [that set up by the National Center for Disease Control in 2017] to curb the future spread of the disease. Inasmuch as I would not like to dwell so much on the committee’s activities, it is very obvious we all have to effectively play our parts in making sure that Lassa fever is put in check at this very moment- and in the future. To this end, we have got to take the following precautionary measures:
• Ensuring environmental hygiene: One basic preventive step that should be considered is keeping our surroundings clean, and not giving room for creation of breeding grounds for rats [in general] within our living space.
• Providing good food storage facility: Storing away our foods in tightly closed containers will definitely prevent rats from nibbling (at) - or getting in contact with- the food items that are meant for human consumption.
• Avoid bush burning: Burning of bushes should be avoided during this very season as it displace the rodents from their natural habitats thereby causing them to seek shelter in our homes where they could endanger human health.
• Report cases of the disease: Peradventure, you noticed that an individual within your vicinity is showing signs of the infection, it is important that you get in touch with the appropriate authorities in order to have the patient(s) checked and probably quarantined if need be. It pays to allow medical experts handle the situation; you should attempt to manage the situation by harboring the infected individual. You can get in touch with the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO) in your local government council OR better still reach the National Centre for Disease Control through the underlisted addresses/numbers:
NCDC Toll-free number: 080097000010
SMS: 08099555577
Whatsapp (NCDC): 07087110839
Twitter/Facebook: @NCDCgov
Looking to the wider picture; it will not be out of place for the government- and that could include governments across West African countries where the virus thrives- to give a thought to investing in the development of vaccine that will help put a lasting solution to the challenge posed by this deadly virus. I believe some medical experts are already clamoring for this.