Outbreaks of endemic diseases such as monkeypox and lassa fever are becoming more persistent and frequent, the World Health Organization`s (WHO) warned on Wednesday.

WHO warns against endemic diseases such as monkeypox, lassa fever

A person suffering from Lassa fever died in Britain, UK's Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

UKHSA said there were three cases identified in the UK which were linked to travel to West Africa. Reports say it is the first case of the disease reported in the UK for over a decade.

The patient died in UK's Luton and Dunstable hospital.

What is Lassa fever?

According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus. The virus belongs to arenavirus family of viruses.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/child-in-los-angeles-detected-with-flurona-what-are-the-symptoms-442563">Also Read:&nbsp;Child in Los Angeles detected with 'flurona'; what are the symptoms?</a>

The UN health body says humans get infected with the Lassa virus through exposure to food items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.&nbsp;

Where is it found?

Lassa fever is known to be largely found in Africa. It is mainly found in Togo, Nigeria, &nbsp;Mali, Sierra Leone Benin, Ghana and Guinea.

How do humans get infected?

According to the UN, person-to-person infection including laboratory transmission can infect a person especially in areas where there is a lack of adequate infection prevention measures. Quick diagnosis is essential to combat the fewer in the early stages.

What is the death rate among humans?

The case fatality among humans is reportedly at 1 per cent. However, the UN body says those infected with severe cases of Lassa fever the fatality rate could be around 15 per cent.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms occur gradually with fever, weakness and after a few days, a person suffers from headache, sore throat, chest pain and muscle pain. A person may also vomit and suffer from cough, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

In severe cases, a patient suffers from bleeding from the mouth, low blood pressure, fluid in the lung with shock, tremor and disorientation witnessed&nbsp;in the later stages of the disease.

WHO says Lassa fever is difficult to distinguish from Ebola, malaria, shigellosis, typhoid fever and yellow fever.

Is there a vaccine for Lassa fever?

Currently, there is no licensed vaccine for the disease although several are in development stages. Antiviral drug ribavirin has been used in several countries as a therapeutic agent. However, the WHO has cautioned that there is no evidence to suggest that ribavirin can treat Lassa fever.

How can&nbsp;Lassa fever&nbsp;be prevented?

Good community health guidelines should be followed to discourage rodents from entering the house with effective measures to be undertaken for rodent-proof containers and disposing of garbage far away from the home.

(With inputs from Agencies)

A person suffering from Lassa fever died in Britain, UK's Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. UKHSA said there were three cases identified in the UK which were linked to travel to West Africa.

A person suffering from Lassa fever died in Britain, UK's Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. UKHSA said there were three cases identified in the UK which were linked to travel to West Africa. Reports say it is the first case of the disease reported in the UK for over a decade. The patient died in UK's Luton and Dunstable hospital. What is Lassa fever? According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus. The virus belongs to arenavirus family of viruses. Also Read: Child in Los Angeles detected with 'flurona'; what are the symptoms? The UN health body says humans get infected with the Lassa virus through exposure to food items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. Where is it found? Lassa fever is known to be largely found in Africa. It is mainly found in Togo, Nigeria, Mali, Sierra Leone Benin, Ghana and Guinea. How do humans get infected? According to the UN, person-to-person infection including laboratory transmission can infect a person especially in areas where there is a lack of adequate infection prevention measures. Quick diagnosis is essential to combat the fewer in the early stages. What is the death rate among humans? The case fatality among humans is reportedly at 1 per cent. However, the UN body says those infected with severe cases of Lassa fever the fatality rate could be around 15 per cent. What are the symptoms? The symptoms occur gradually with fever, weakness and after a few days, a person suffers from headache, sore throat, chest pain and muscle pain. A person may also vomit and suffer from cough, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. In severe cases, a patient suffers from bleeding from the mouth, low blood pressure, fluid in the lung with shock, tremor and disorientation witnessed in the later stages of the disease. WHO says Lassa fever is difficult to distinguish from Ebola, malaria, shigellosis, typhoid fever and yellow fever. Is there a vaccine for Lassa fever? Currently, there is no licensed vaccine for the disease although several are in development stages. Antiviral drug ribavirin has been used in several countries as a therapeutic agent. However, the WHO has cautioned that there is no evidence to suggest that ribavirin can treat Lassa fever. How can Lassa fever be prevented? Good community health guidelines should be followed to discourage rodents from entering the house with effective measures to be undertaken for rodent-proof containers and disposing of garbage far away from the home. (With inputs from Agencies)

Explainer: Patient dies due to Lassa fever in UK: What are the symptoms & how can it be prevented?

Nigeria is suffering its worst outbreak of Lassa fever, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, as local health officials said 72 people had died since the start of this year.

&quot;Nigeria&#39;s Lassa fever outbreak has reached record highs, with 317 laboratory-confirmed cases,&quot; the WHO said in a statement, quoting figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Lassa fever, named after the town in northern Nigeria where it was first identified in 1969, is endemic but the number of confirmed cases &quot;has never reached&quot; this level before, it added.

But in an update, the NCDC said: &quot;Since the onset of 2018, 325 cases have been classified as 317 confirmed cases, eight probable cases with 72 deaths.&quot; Fourteen health workers have been affected by the virus in six states.

The WHO said a total of 2,845 people who have come into contact with patients have been identified and were being monitored.&nbsp;

Worst-hit by the virus is Edo state, in the south, where Crusoe Osagie, a media aide to the state government, said mostly rural areas were affected.

&quot;Edo state is the only state with Lagos to have a special treating hospital for this disease, which is in Irrua,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;People come here from all over. &quot;

The federal-owned facility usually deals with about a hundred cases each year but has already handled that number in the last two months, he added.

WHO said it was supporting the NCDC effort to contain the disease and treat those affected in treatment centres across the country.

&quot;The ability to rapidly detect cases of infection in the community and refer them early for treatment improves patients&#39;&nbsp;chances of survival and is critical to this response,&quot; said the world body&#39;s representative in Nigeria, Wondimagegnehu Alemu.

Lassa fever is spread through contact with food or items contaminated with rats&#39;&nbsp;urine or faeces or after coming into direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.&nbsp;

It can be prevented by enhanced hygiene and avoidance of all contact with rats.

More than 100 people were killed in 2016 in an outbreak affecting 14 of the 36 states, including Lagos and the capital Abuja.

It can be prevented by enhanced hygiene and avoidance of all contact with rats

Nigeria is suffering its worst outbreak of Lassa fever, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, as local health officials said 72 people had died since the start of this year. "Nigeria's Lassa fever outbreak has reached record highs, with 317 laboratory-confirmed cases," the WHO said in a statement, quoting figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Lassa fever, named after the town in northern Nigeria where it was first identified in 1969, is endemic but the number of confirmed cases "has never reached" this level before, it added. But in an update, the NCDC said: "Since the onset of 2018, 325 cases have been classified as 317 confirmed cases, eight probable cases with 72 deaths." Fourteen health workers have been affected by the virus in six states. The WHO said a total of 2,845 people who have come into contact with patients have been identified and were being monitored. Worst-hit by the virus is Edo state, in the south, where Crusoe Osagie, a media aide to the state government, said mostly rural areas were affected. "Edo state is the only state with Lagos to have a special treating hospital for this disease, which is in Irrua," he told AFP. "People come here from all over. " The federal-owned facility usually deals with about a hundred cases each year but has already handled that number in the last two months, he added. WHO said it was supporting the NCDC effort to contain the disease and treat those affected in treatment centres across the country. "The ability to rapidly detect cases of infection in the community and refer them early for treatment improves patients' chances of survival and is critical to this response," said the world body's representative in Nigeria, Wondimagegnehu Alemu. Lassa fever is spread through contact with food or items contaminated with rats' urine or faeces or after coming into direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. It can be prevented by enhanced hygiene and avoidance of all contact with rats. More than 100 people were killed in 2016 in an outbreak affecting 14 of the 36 states, including Lagos and the capital Abuja.

Record highs in Nigeria Lassa fever outbreak: World Health Organisation

lassa-fever

Lassa Fever, News on Lassa Fever, stories on Lassa Fever, articles on Lassa Fever, Lassa Fever stories at Wion, Lassa Fever news, Lassa Fever latest news