PEST Control Association of Nigeria, PECAN, has said no fewer than 3,000 Nigerians die annually from Lassa fever.

According to the association, in a briefing in Lagos on rodent control as a strategy to combat Lassa fever in rural and urban environment, “this statistics is alarming, especially when compared with the fact that 5,000 die annually from the disease in West Africa.”

Mr. Ayo Ogunyedeka, President, PECAN, said Lassa fever is an acute viral infection caused by the Lassa virus. It is caused by rats and could be found anywhere.

He said the virus was first discovered in 1969 in the town of Lassa in Borno State.

According to him, “the virus lives in rats and infects human beings when they come in contact with rats droppings, urine and food contaminated with them, and saliva of rodents.The rate of the sickness is higher during the dry season because rats are mammals and roam around freely during this period.”

Ogunyedeka said the symptoms are similar to that of malaria and yellow fever which include general fever, headache, chest pain and sore throat, incessant cough and diarrhea and general weakness.

He highlighted the various preventive measures to combat the epidemic to include: good personal hygiene, good environmental hygiene, good and regular pest control system to reduce the scourge, consulting professionals like PECAN, among others.

“Do not use cats to control rats because they will soon become nuisance due to their droppings and urine. Food items like grains, garri, yam powders, among others used at home should not be stored in cartons or bags, rather in plastic sealed containers or rodent proof containers.”

“Also refuse and dustbins should be fitted with lids because rodents go to where food is easily available. Block all rat hideouts. Do not spread food where rats can have access to and, clean your can juice cover before mouthing or better use a straw,” he stressed.

He advised the pubic to be careful of the rodenticides they use because a lot of them are dangerous to health.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/lassa-fever-kills-3000-nigerians-annually/