Lassa fever in Nigeria (Update 1)
20 Feb 2019
From 1st January to 10th February 2019, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 
324 confirmed cases of Lassa fever (including 69 deaths) from 20 States and the Federal Capital Territory.
The affected States are Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba, FCT, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Benue, Rivers, Kogi, Enugu, Imo, Delta, Oyo and Kebbi.
In the week ending 10 February 2019 there were 37 new confirmed cases. These were reported from Edo(10), Ondo(12), Ebonyi(4), Plateau(4),Taraba(3), Benue(1), Gombe(1), Rivers(1) and Kebbi(1) States, including 10 deaths.
Advice for Travellers
Lassa fever presents a low risk to most travellers unless they are living in poor sanitary conditions with overcrowding in rural areas where the host is usually found. Lassa fever is a zoonotic viral disease transmitted via the excreta of an infected Mastomys rat. Healthcare workers are at risk if good infection control and barrier nursing methods are not maintained.
Travellers returning from affected areas who develop symptoms of fever, malaise, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain should seek medical advice.
For further informations see Viral Haemorrhagic Fever.