Lassa fever is a deadly viral disease that is re-emerging in West Africa. Since January, there has been a recent outbreak of the Lassa fever in Nigeria. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 300 cases of Lassa Fever have been identified in Nigeria since the beginning of this year. It is not a new disease, but doctors do not know much about treating this virus. This is the first major outbreak in West Africa since the Ebola outbreak of 2014.
Many of the symptoms of the Lassa fever mimic those of common illnesses, making it difficult to identify. However, the disease is incredibly dangerous as it can cause internal bleeding like the Ebola virus. The disease spreads rapidly and can be fatal.
After conducting research to find the causes of the illness, epidemiologists have discovered that is virus is mainly carried by rats and through the bodily fluids of those who have been in contact with the virus.
The Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) transformed the most during 2014 when the Ebola virus entered the city of Lagos. Only 19 cases were identified in the city of Lagos during 2014, which is significantly less than the number of Ebola cases found in Liberia that year. The virus could have spread much more, but luckily Nigeria escaped the epidemic. Since then, chief executive Chikwe Ihekweazu has brought much change to the way the NCDC operates.
Medical technology and resources in West African countries have improved greatly. The Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) transformed the most during 2014 when the Ebola virus entered the city of Lagos According to the Nature International Journal of Science, the NCDC had roughly 30 physicians in 2011. Since then, over a hundred specialists have joined the NCDC. The government of Nigeria will make the NCDC an independent organization later this year, giving the group its own budget and power to make decisions in situations like this.
