The disease has been categorized as a potential pandemic – Symptoms of Lassa fever include headaches, sore throat, and vomiting – Most Lassa fever patients recover fully, but the virus can be fatal in roughly 1% of cases.

According to the country’s Health Insurance Service, the first death from Lassa fever has occurred in the United Kingdom. The individual who caught the illness was a member of a family who had recently returned from a trip to West Africa.

Only ten cases of the disease spread by rats have been reported in the United Kingdom.

These are the first cases since 2009.

What is Lassa fever?

The Lassa virus causes Lassa Fever, which is endemic to Nigeria and several other countries on Africa’s west coast, including Liberia and Guinea.

The illness causes headaches, sore throats, and vomiting, as well as bleeding from the mouth, nose, and vaginal area.

Without prompt treatment, they can progress to shock, convulsions, tremor, disorientation, and even coma.

According to medical literature, a quarter of individuals develop temporary deafness that will eventually return.

Although most Lassa fever patients make full recovery, the virus can be deadly in roughly 1% of cases.

Humans can get Lassa fever by consuming food that has been contaminated by rodent urine or feces.

The disease, like Ebola and dengue fever, has been categorized as a potential pandemic and is on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) priority list.

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