Lassa Fever: One confirmed dead

Ghana on Friday recorded two cases of Lassa Fever with one death.

A statement signed by the Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said the cases were confirmed by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research on 24th February 2023.

It said both cases resided in Accra.

The statement said the first case was a 40-year-old trader, who was unwell for a period of about two weeks and finally died at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

The second case, who is a contact of the fatal case, is currently on admission and very stable.

It said so far, 56 contacts had been identified and are being followed up.

Lassa fever is caused by the Lassa virus and the incubation period is 2-21 days.

The virus is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodents like rats, mice urine or faeces.

Lassa virus may also be spread between humans through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces, or other bodily fluids of a person infected with Lassa fever.

Sexual transmission of the Lassa virus has also been reported.

Symptoms of Lassa fever may include fever and general weakness.

Persons may later present with headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, and abdominal pain.

In severe cases, there may be bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or stomach.

Death usually occurs within 14 days of onset in fatal cases.

Lassa fever, viral hemorrhagic fever is endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria.

Ghana recorded its first case in 2011.