Lassa Fever Case Reported in UK Following Travel from Nigeria

Health officials are tracing contacts after a traveler from Nigeria was diagnosed with the viral illness linked to rodents and human bodily fluids.

A person who traveled from Nigeria to England and then returned to Nigeria was diagnosed with Lassa fever, a viral illness with Ebola-like symptoms.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is working to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the infected traveler while they were in England.
Lassa fever is endemic in parts of West Africa and is primarily spread through contact with infected rodent waste or contaminated food and water.
Symptoms range from mild fever, weakness, and headache to severe complications such as bleeding, difficulty breathing, and organ swelling, with risks heightened for pregnant women.
UK health authorities assess the overall risk to the public as very low, noting that Lassa fever does not spread easily between humans.