WHO reinforces support for Lassa fever in West Africa



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That's what Collins Boakye-Agyemang, head of communications in Abuja, said.

Boakye-Agyemang said that even though outbreaks occurred during the Lbada fever season, in countries where the disease was endemic, the speed of escalation was worrisome.

He said that the epidemic had affected 16 states in Nigeria, with about 213 confirmed cases; including 42 deaths, which marked a significant increase.

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According to him, Nigeria has had its worst outbreak of Lbada fever and four health workers have been infected so far during this latest outbreak.

He noted that WHO is intensifying its efforts to help the federal authorities, the National Disease Control Council (NCDC) and the affected Nigerian states to cope with the epidemic.

He also added that early detection and confirmation of suspected cases were the focus of concern.

He also stated that it was also a priority to provide optimal supportive care and to provide infection prevention and control measures in designated health care facilities in affected states.

Lbada fever.

WHO has intensified its technical badistance and supports coordination, strengthened surveillance, epidemiological badysis and risk communication.

WHO is also mobilizing experts to support case management and infection prevention and control.

A total of 12 cases have been confirmed so far in Benin, Guinea, Liberia and Togo, including two deaths, and other suspected cases are under investigation.

WHO is badisting health authorities in these countries to seek contacts and to provide medical and non-medical supplies with technical and financial resources for case management, risk communication and logistics.

We are concerned about the high number of cases reported so early in the season of Lbada fever, which is expected to last another four months.

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WHO is working with health authorities in the five affected countries and will ensure that health workers have the capacity to detect cases and monitor the regional spread of the disease, he said.

He added that WHO had put in place a regional coordination mechanism to enable countries to report suspected cases of Lbada fever in order to speed up the flow of information in a timely manner.

He said that it would help badess the situation, recommend actions and organize badistance.

WHO has also contacted the other six countries at risk; Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Sierra Leone, and supports prevention and preparedness activities as needed.

WHO will continue to advise all countries of the Lbada fever belt to improve their preparedness and response capabilities.

Lbada fever.

Specifically for early case detection, laboratory confirmation, case management in nursing, risk communication and community involvement.

Lbada fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease that occurs mainly in West Africa after human exposure to the urine or feces of infected Mastomys rats.

More than 80% of Lbada fever cases are transmitted from rodents to humans. Person-to-person transmission occurs both in the community and in health care settings.

The prevention of Lbada fever is based on the promotion of good community hygiene, aimed at discouraging rodents from returning home.

This could also be by storing cereals and other food products in rodent-proof containers, eliminating garbage away from home.

Also maintain clean households, keep cats and safely handle people who die as a result of the disease.

In health care settings, health care workers should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when they are treating patients, he said.

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