NASFAT Kaduna Raises Alarm Over Lassa Fever, Urges Residents to Guard Against Rats

NASFAT Kaduna Raises Alarm Over Lassa Fever, Urges Residents to Guard Against Rats

By Zainab Tanimu

The Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society (NASFAT), Kaduna, has intensified public sensitisation on the dangers of Lassa fever, urging residents to be vigilant and adopt preventive measures to curb the spread of the disease.

The call was made during a health awareness lecture held during the weekly asalat held at NASFAT Doka Branch in Kaduna, where members gathered to learn about the growing threat posed by the viral illness.

Speaking, the medical practitioner Dr. Folunrunsho Nuhu described Lassa fever as a serious and potentially fatal viral hemorrhagic disease endemic in West Africa. He stressed that although the disease can be deadly, it is preventable and controllable when proper precautions are observed.

According to him, Lassa fever often begins silently, with an incubation period ranging from six to twelve days. “An infected person may not show symptoms immediately after exposure,” he explained. “But once symptoms appear, they may include high fever, weakness, headache, cough, muscle pain, and shortness of breath.”

Dr. Nuhu noted that in severe cases, patients may experience bleeding from body openings such as the nose, eyes, and mouth. He further highlighted that survivors may suffer long-term complications, including temporary or permanent hearing loss — affecting up to 25 percent of survivors — as well as myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle.

He explained that the disease is primarily transmitted through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or feces of infected rats.

Consuming improperly handled bushmeat, touching contaminated surfaces, inhaling infected particles while sweeping, or coming into contact with the blood, saliva, urine, or other body fluids of infected persons can also lead to transmission. The reuse of contaminated medical equipment, such as needles, poses additional risk.

Dr. Nuhu emphasized that certain groups, particularly pregnant women in their third trimester, face a higher risk of severe complications. While the overall fatality rate of Lassa fever is about one percent, it can rise to between 15 and 20 percent among hospitalized patients with severe cases.

He warned that the virus can affect multiple organs, including the liver, spleen, kidneys, heart, lungs, and bone marrow.

On prevention, the medical expert advised residents to maintain clean environments, store food in tightly sealed, rodent-proof containers, and ensure leftover meals are properly covered. He also urged the public to avoid contact with suspected cases and to thoroughly cook bushmeat before consumption.

Dr. Folunrunsho Nuhu is the Vice Chairman, Elders Committee, NASFAT Doka Branch Kaduna.

NASFAT Kaduna reiterated that combating Lassa fever requires collective responsibility, calling on individuals, families, and healthcare providers to remain alert and proactive.

The society encouraged the public to heed medical advice and adopt preventive habits, stressing that safeguarding lives begins with awareness and simple hygienic practices.