What is Lassa fever and what are the symptoms?
A BRIT has died and two others have tested positive for Lassa Fever in England.
The cases were all found within the same family with the risk to the public very low.
What is Lassa Fever?
Lassa Fever is transmitted to people via contact with food or objects contaminated with rodent waste.
A multimammate rat (known also as the Mastomys rat) infected with the virus does not become ill, but can shed the virus in their urine and faeces.
The killer fever has an incubation period of six to 21 days in humans and can also be transmitted through bodily fluids.
People living in endemic areas of West Africa with high populations of rodents are most at risk of Lassa fever.
Those who work in endemic areas in high-risk occupations, such as medical or other aid workers, are most likely to catch the virus.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
While the majority of cases are without symptoms, some can include:
- Fever
- Physical fatigue
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Headaches
- Abdominal pains
- Sore throat
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About 80 percent of people who become infected with Lassa fever have no symptoms, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
One in five infections result in severe disease, where the virus affects several organs such as the liver, spleen and kidneys.
How many Lassa fever cases have been detected in the UK?
Lassa Fever cases have been identified in England, following travel to West Africa.
Three people were diagnosed with Lassa Fever, the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed on February 11. One person tragically died.
A statement said: "We are contacting the individuals who have had close contact with the cases prior to confirmation of their infection, to provide appropriate assessment, support and advice.
"The risk to the general public remains very low."
A Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson added: "We confirm the sad death of a patient at our trust, who had confirmed Lassa fever. We send our deepest condolences to their family at this difficult time.
"We will continue to support the patient's family and our staff and are working closely with colleagues from the UK Health Security Agency to undertake a robust contact-tracing exercise."
Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA, said: "The cases are within the same family and are linked to recent travel to West Africa.
"Cases of Lassa Fever are rare in the UK and it does not spread easily between people."
Is Lassa fever deadly?
Most people with Lassa fever will make a full recovery, but some individuals can become severely ill or die.
The overall case-fatality rate is one per cent, and observed case-fatality rate among patients hospitalised with severe cases of Lassa fever is 15 per cent.
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Dr Hopkins said the overall risk to the UK public is very low following the confirmed cases.
She added: "We are contacting the individuals who have had close contact with the cases prior to confirmation of their infection, to provide appropriate assessment, support and advice."