The Kano State Centre for Disease Control has confirmed a case of Lassa fever in the state and activated emergency response measures to contain the spread of the viral disease.
The Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, Prof. Muhammad Abbas, disclosed this in a public health advisory issued on Thursday, stating that the agency had intensified surveillance and initiated contact tracing following the confirmed case.
Abbas said the agency had activated rapid response mechanisms across the state to track and monitor individuals who might have been exposed to the virus.
According to him, contact tracing and line-listing of identified persons are already underway to ensure effective containment of the disease.
“Following confirmation of the case, surveillance has been intensified, and response mechanisms have been activated across the state to monitor contacts and prevent further spread,” he said.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus and is commonly transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by urine, saliva, blood, or faeces of infected rodents, particularly the multimammate rat.
The disease can also spread through person-to-person contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected individual.
Health officials warned that the early symptoms of the disease often resemble malaria or other common illnesses. These symptoms include fever, headache, general body weakness, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, chest pain, and muscle aches.
They added that in severe cases, bleeding from the nose, mouth, eyes, ears, or other body openings may occur.
The agency urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms consistent with the disease and cautioned against self-medication.
“Early presentation at health facilities greatly improves survival chances. Residents experiencing persistent fever or related symptoms should seek medical attention immediately,” Abbas said.
The KNCDC also advised residents to adopt preventive measures aimed at reducing contact with rodents, which serve as the primary carriers of the virus.
Recommended precautions include maintaining clean homes and surroundings, storing food items in tightly sealed containers, avoiding the drying of food in open spaces such as roadsides, blocking holes in walls and roofs that could allow rodents to enter homes, and ensuring proper waste disposal.
Residents were also encouraged to wash their hands regularly with soap and running water and avoid environmental practices such as bush burning and deforestation, which could drive rodents into human settlements.
Abbas added that the Kano State Government had strengthened preparedness efforts to tackle the disease.
“Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has provided the Kano State Centre for Disease Control with sufficient drugs and medical consumables to effectively respond to the situation,” he said.
He noted that preventing the spread of the disease requires collective responsibility from residents, health workers, and community leaders.
The KNCDC urged residents to promptly report suspected cases to the nearest health facility while assuring the public that the agency would continue to monitor the situation and provide updates when necessary.
