One person dies from 'eye bleeding' rat-borne Lassa Fever after three cases discovered in the UK

One patient in Bedfordshire has died from a confirmed case of Lassa fever, the UK Health Security Agency said.

In a statement, the UK Health Security Agency said the confirmed case of Lassa fever brought the total cases of the potentially fatal disease in the UK to three.

The statement said: “We are contacting the individuals who have had close contact with the cases prior to confirmation of their infection, to provide appropriate assessment, support and advice. The risk to the general public remains very low.”

A Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “We confirm the sad death of a patient at our trust, who had confirmed Lassa fever. We send our deepest condolences to their family at this difficult time.

“We will continue to support the patient’s family and our staff and are working closely with colleagues from the UK Health Security Agency to undertake a robust contact-tracing exercise.”

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus. People usually become infected with Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected rats. The virus can also be spread through infected bodily fluids.

Mere hours after the Prime Minister announced the impending removal of remaining Covid restrictions in England, two Britons were diagnosed with Lassa fever, a viral haemorrhagic disease similar to Ebola.

Lassa fever is endemic in a number of countries including Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ghana. It kills roughly 15% of those who are hospitalised, though is milder than other haemorrhagic fevers, such as Ebola.

The symptoms start with fever but gradually expand to include, headaches, muscle pain and vomiting. If you get it really bad, then your face may swell up, lungs could fill with fluid and your eyes and anus could begin to bleed.

The antiviral drug ribavirin is used as a way to effectively treat Lassa fever if given early on in the course of clinical illness. There is currently no vaccine that protects against Lassa fever.

Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA said earlier this week: “We can confirm that 2 cases of Lassa fever have been identified in England, and a further probable case is under investigation.

“The cases are within the same family and are linked to recent travel to West Africa”, she said.