Following additional testing by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has confirmed 12 new cases of Lassa Fever.
Following the GHS’s discovery of 56 contacts for the first two confirmed cases on Sunday, February 26, the most recent instances were made public.
According to the GHS, there are now 13 active Lassa Fever cases. Thus far, one person has passed away from the illness.
The first case, which the GHS revealed on Sunday, involved a 40-year-old trader who fell ill for almost two weeks before passing away at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
The second case, which is currently being admitted but is in a very stable condition, is a contact of the fatal case. The Ghana Health Service has identified 56 contacts so far, and they are being tracked.
In Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, lassa fever—a viral hemorrhagic fever—is endemic.
BRIEF FACTS ABOUT LASSA FEVER
The Lassa virus is the cause of lassa fever, which has a 2–21 day incubation period.
• Humans contract the virus when they come into contact with food or household objects that have been exposed to rodents (rats, Mice) urine, or feces.
• Direct contact with the blood, urine, feces or other bodily fluids of a person suffering from Lassa fever can also spread the Lassa virus between people. There have been reports of Lassa virus sexual transmission.
Symptoms of Lassa fever
Fever and overall weakness may be the first signs of Lassa fever. Later on, people may complain of headaches, sore throats, chest pain, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, and stomach pain.
In extreme circumstances, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina, or stomach may occur. In fatal situations, death typically happens within 14 days of start.
Antiviral medications are available for therapy, and they work best if used quickly. There isn’t a vaccination available now to prevent Lassa fever.
To stop rodents from invading our houses, prevention relies on encouraging communal hygiene. Grain and other commodities should be kept in rodent-proof containers, rubbish should be disposed of distance from the house, homes should be kept clean, and cats should be kept.
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