New Outbreak in the UK from Lassa fever, one dead

Health officials confirmed the first death from Lassa fever, an animal-borne, or zoonotic, acute viral illness in the UK,  as three cases have been reported this week in the UK. Experts have said the Lassa virus is not transmitted via airborne infection but through contact with bodily fluids of an infected person.

Lassa Haemorrhagic fever (LHF)is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, infected through exposure to food or household items contaminated with the urine of faceces of infected rats, spread originally from several West African countries including Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ghana where the disease is endemic. There are about half a million cases which results in 5000 deaths a year. Symptoms include fever, weakness, headaches, vomiting, and muscle pains bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract. Of those who survive, about a quarter have hearing loss, which improves with three months in about half of these cases.

The estimated R number of Lassa is roughly between 1.0 to 16 according to Dr. Michael Head, a senior research fellow in Global Health at the University of Southampton.

Ribavirin given intravenously could be an effective cure if administered early. In addition to the support of fluid and electrolytes, oxygenation, and blood pressure. There is no vaccine yet, and prevention requires isolating those who are infected and decreasing contact with the mice.