LAGOS, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Lassa fever outbreak has reached record highs, resulting in 72 deaths with 317 laboratory confirmed cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday.
The acute viral haemorrhagic fever has been seen in Nigeria's 18 states since the first case was detected on New Year. A total of 2,845 people who have come into contact with patients have been identified and are being monitored, the WHO quoted the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) as saying.
Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats, the WHO said.
The NCDC has called on "all Nigerians" to prevent access to their "foodstuff by rodents."
Lassa fever is endemic to several West African countries. Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone all reported cases in the past month.
The WHO is working with countries in the region to strengthen coordination and cross-border cooperation, it said.
