Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

South Africa detects an imported case of Lassa Fever

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • South Africa detects an imported case of Lassa Fever

    Source: https://health-e.org.za/2022/05/13/s...r-in-15-years/

    SA detects first case of Lassa fever in 15 years
    May 13, 2022
    by Health-e News

    The National Institute of Communicable Diseases has reported the detection of an imported case of Lassa fever in South Africa, the first since 2007.

    In a statement released on Friday night, the NICD said a man with an extensive history of travel in Nigeria fell sick soon after returning to South Africa. He was admitted to Pietermaritzburg Hospital where he died...

  • #2
    IMPORTED CASE OF LASSA FEVER IDENTIFIED
    A case of Lassa fever was diagnosed in a man from KwaZulu-Natal on 12 May 2022. The man had extensive travel history in Nigeria before returning to South Africa. He fell ill after entering South Africa and was hospitalized in a Pietermaritzburg hospital. The diagnosis of Lassa fever was confirmed through laboratory testing conducted at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a Division of the National Health Laboratory Service. Sadly, the man succumbed to the infection. Currently efforts are underway to trace and monitor all possible contacts. No secondary cases of Lassa fever have been confirmed at the time of this report.

    Lassa fever is a viral infection that is endemic to the West African countries and mostly reported in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria. Lassa fever is less frequently reported from Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast. Up to 300 000 cases of Lassa fever, with about 5000 deaths, are recorded annually in the endemic countries. Currently there is no vaccine for Lassa fever.

    The natural host of this virus in endemic countries is a rodent species called the multimammate rat. The rats are persistently infected and shed the virus in their urine and faeces. Humans can come into contact with the virus through direct contact or inhalation of the virus in areas that are infested with the infected rats. For example contact with contaminated materials, ingestion of contaminated food or inhalation of air that has been contaminated with urine droplets. Person-to-person transmission of the virus does not occur readily and the virus is not spread through casual contact.

    Person-to-person transmission is not common and is mostly associated with the hospital-setting where healthcare workers have contact with the infected blood and bodily fluids of a patient. Cases of Lassa fever in travellers returning from endemic countries are reported from time-to-time. In 2007 a case of Lassa fever was diagnosed in South Africa. The case involved a Nigerian citizen with extensive travel history in rural parts of Nigeria before falling ill and he received medical treatment in South Africa. No secondary cases of Lassa fever were reported in this instance. Recently, in February 2022, an imported case of Lassa fever with secondary cases were identified in the United Kingdom (https://www.who.int/emergencies/dise...rthern-ireland).

    For more information on Lassa fever, visit https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-index/lassa-fever/


    A case of Lassa fever was diagnosed in a man from KwaZulu-Natal on 12 May 2022.
    "Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."
    -Nelson Mandela

    Comment


    • #3
      WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
      AND OTHER EMERGENCIES

      Week 20: 9 – 15 May 2022
      Data as reported by: 17:00; 15 May 2022

      ...

      All events currently being monitored by WHO AFRO

      South Africa Lassa fever Ungraded 13-May-2022


      Start of reporting
      14-May-2022
      End of reporting period
      14-May-2022

      Total cases 2
      Cases Confirmed 1
      Deaths 1
      CFR 50.0%


      The Government of South Africa notified AFRO IHR of an imported case of Lassa fever from Nigeria to South Africa. The case had travel history to Nigeria during the six months preceding illness. He entered RSA on 25 April 2022 and was hospitalized on 1 May 2022 and died on 6 May 2022. The case was tested positive for Lassa fever RT PCR at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. One suspected secondary case was identified on 13 May 2022. This is a nurse who assisted the doctor intubating the index case

      View/Open

      OEW20-0915052022.pdf (‎1.913Mb)‎

      https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/354389
      "Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."
      -Nelson Mandela

      Comment

      Working...
      X