5 more Lassa fever deaths confirmed in Nigeria

ABUJA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities in Nigeria on Friday confirmed five more deaths from Lassa fever, which adds the death toll to 118 since the beginning of this year.

The acute viral hemorrhagic fever has been reported in at least 18 states in Nigeria since the first case was detected on Jan. 1.

The five more deaths were recorded in the northeastern state of Bauchi.

Zuwaira Hassan, Commissioner for Health in Bauchi, said there were nine confirmed cases of the disease which is endemic in several west African countries.

Humans usually become infected with the Lassa virus from exposure to urine or feces of infected multimammate rats.

Other than common preventive measures such as washing hands regularly, the World Health Organization has also recommended keeping cats.

West African countries including Ghana, Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone also reported cases of Lassa fever recently. Enditem