Lassa fever: Expert urges Nigerians to keep food safe from rats

A medical laboratory scientist, Dr Dibal Wandali, has urged Nigerians to protect their food and drinks from contamination by infected multimammate rats to prevent Lassa fever infection.

Wandali made the call in Biu on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), warning that the country was gradually approaching the peak Lassa fever season.

He said the season, which typically ran from October to May, coincided with increased rodent activity, urging households to adopt preventive measures against possible infection.

Wandali, a Director at the General Hospital, Biu, described Lassa fever as a viral haemorrhagic illness transmitted through infected humans or Mastomys rats, and urged Nigerians to remain vigilant.

He said that as the weather became drier, malaria cases might begin to decline, but bacterial infections, particularly pneumonia and tuberculosis, could become more prevalent.

“During this period, the major concern was Lassa fever as increased harvest activities and bush burning could force rodents out of their natural habitats in search for safer shelters like human houses.

“When vegetation is destroyed, these rats may move into human settlements and houses in search of food.

“Once inside homes, they contaminate food items through their urine and droppings. For instance, they may urinate or defecate on stored food products such as garri.

“People sometimes consume garri without cooking it, simply soaking it in water and adding sugar. In such circumstances, contaminated food can expose them to the Lassa fever virus.

“So I call on Nigerians, do not leave food unprotected. Rodents can contaminate food with their urine, droppings and other body fluids, potentially causing Lassa fever infection.

“So protect your household by not drying food on bare ground, keep food and drinks away from areas accessible to rodents and ensure that you store food in tightly covered containers,” he said.

Wandali also urged residents to pay attention to tuberculosis and asthma attacks, which he said could increase during the Harmattan season because of cold weather, dust and hazy atmospheric conditions.

He further advised Nigerians to develop the habit of seeking medical attention whenever they experienced unusual symptoms, rather than resorting to self-medication or making assumptions.

“When someone develops a persistent cough accompanied by fever and sometimes headaches, it should not automatically be assumed to be malaria or typhoid.

“If the condition becomes severe, the person may also experience vomiting. These symptoms could indicate pneumonia, particularly when the infection has affected the lungs.

“The first thing people should do whenever they notice unusual symptoms or feel unwell is to visit a hospital for proper medical evaluation and treatment,” he said.