Lassa fever in 11 of 14 districts in Sierra Leone

The Country Director of Metabiota, an organization that does global virus forecasting and offers products to mitigate microbial threats, has told Politico that Lassa fever is now prevalent in 11 of the 14 districts of Sierra Leone with Kambia, Port Loko and Western Area Urban the only three where it has not yet been detected. Professor Aiah Kpakima said the rats that cause the fever which had hitherto been confined to mostly the eastern province especially in Tongo in Kenema district were now “all over and have even crossed the border to neighbouring Guinea and Liberia”. He said the cases had only recently been detected which he said did not necessarily mean they were new or that there was an epidemic. He said this would need further investigation. The fever had been known to be prevalent in some parts of the country, he went on, adding that “nobody was looking and the rats took over”. Professor Kpakima said there was a well equipped lab at the Kenema Government Hospital which he said was modern, and that it was carrying out sample testing on cases from around the country and neighbouring countries. He said a 48-bed ward was being built within the precinct of the Kenema Government Hospital which, if completed, would help with admitting the number of cases coming in. Lassa fever is transmitted by a Mastomys rat. More on this in subsequent issues as we hope to speak to the World Health organization and the Ministry of Health.