Patient dies from Lassa fever after family infected with ebola-like virus
11 February 2022, 16:04 | Updated: 11 February 2022, 16:49
A person who contracted the ebola-like Lassa fever has died, the UK Health Security Agency [UKHSA] has confirmed.
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They were the third person to have been infected by the condition, which is endemic in West Africa.
The cases are all from the same family in the East of England are linked to recent travel to West Africa.
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."
Read more: What is Lassa Fever? Two cases of acute virus found in east of England
The UKHSA said the risk to the public remains low and experts are getting in touch with people who had close contact with the patient to assess them and provide support and advice.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust includes Bedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital.
Confirming the infections earlier on Friday, the UKHSA's Chief Medical Adviser Dr Susan Hopkins said: "Cases of Lassa fever are rare in the UK and it does not spread easily between people.
"The overall risk to the public is very low. 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.
"UKHSA and the NHS have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be reinforced."
The cases are the first of Lassa fever to be confirmed in the UK in more than a decade.
Before these three cases - the first since 2009 - eight were identified in the UK since 1980.
Three Brits were taken home from Sierra Leone after coming into close contact with two cases there.
One of those two – from the Netherlands – died, having been infected while working out there.
Updates to follow
