Liberia’s health ministry has declared a health emergency in the counties of Nimba, Grand Bassa, Bong and Grand Kru Counties due to a Lassa Fever outbreak that has claimed the lives of 21 persons including a health worker who was a laboratory technician.
Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Francis Kateh confirmed to APA in an interview Monday that 25 confirmed cases have been recorded between January 1 and August 25 this year. He explained that of these cases, nine were recorded in Nimba County, 10 in Bong, five in Grand Bassa and one in Grand Kru County, while 92 cases are suspected.
The National Public Health Institute earlier said in a press statement that the case fatality rate is 36 percent, and that 56 percent confirmed cases are males.
“What is more concerning to us is the fact that when health workers that have the authority and have been trained to identify and take care of others are being infected, then that escalates the process to another level,” Dr. Kateh said.
The Chief Medical Officer stressed that the situation is alarming because cases are being confirmed outside of the region known for recording Lassa Fever. “From the Nimba County area going through Bong County to Lofa County-that is the Lassa Belt- and so those are places that we have always been concerned of, but if you can now find Lassa Fever in other parts of Liberia, then of course, it is becoming a major issue of concern,” he said.
He added that Lassa Fever usually escalates during the dry season, noting that if we are recording people positive in the rainy season, then it is becoming an issue of concern.
“Lassa is second Ebola, no need to hide the information. It’s better we put the information out there; the situation we’re dealing with and how we can prevent it. So it’s important that we raise this and let the general public know that there are couple of things they can do” National Public Health Institute Director General Tolbert Nyenswah said.
Lassa Fever is a deadly viral disease which is spread by rodents or rats and through close contact with infected persons. The illness was discovered in 1969, and is named after a town in Nigeria where the
first cases occurred. It is endemic is parts of West Africa including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria, according to the U.S Center for Disease Control (CDC). An estimated 100,000 to 300,000 infections of Lassa Fever occur annually, with approximately 5,000 deaths.
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