Lassa Fever: Keep food away from rats, NCDC urges Nigerians

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has urged Nigerians to store all food items properly and keep them away from contact with rats amidst the increasing spread of Lassa fever.

The NCDC made the call in a post shared on its X handle on Thursday.

The agency said Lassa fever can be transmitted via food that has been contaminated with the urine and faeces of infected rats.

The PUNCH had reported that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on February 22, 2024, announced that no fewer than 2,122 suspected cases, 411 confirmed cases, and 72 deaths have been recorded from Lassa fever across the country.

The confirmed cases were recorded from 21 states and 78 local government areas in the country.

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus.

The natural reservoir for the virus is the Mastomys natalensis rodent (commonly known as the multimammate rat or the African rat).

Other rodents can also be carriers of the virus.

The virus spreads through direct contact with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats; contact with objects, household items, and surfaces contaminated with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats; consuming food or water contaminated with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats; the person-to-person transmission can also occur through direct contact with blood, urine, faeces, vomitus, and other body fluids of an infected person.