At least 43 people have died and 450 people are ill in a Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization. Lassa fever, an acute viral hemorrhagic illness, is endemic in most of West Africa, especially Nigeria, where it was discovered in 1969. Symptoms can be mild or severe, including hemorrhaging in the gums, eyes or nose. Many of its symptoms mimic Ebola, but Lassa fever is caused by the Lassa virus and transmitted by multimammate rats. The disease is transmitted to humans through contact with food or items contaminated by infected rats or through contact with bodily fluids from an infected person. read more http://www.cnn.com/2018/02/16/health/nigeria-lassa-outbreak-intl/?iid=ob_health_core_homepage
