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Article: Ten Die Of Lassa Fever In S. Leone
- Article from:
- Xinhua News Agency
- Article date:
- May 19, 1996
CopyrightCopyright 1996 Xinhua English Newswire. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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About 10 people have died of the dreaded disease of Lassa fever in
the Kenema Government Hospital in eastern Sierra Leone, according to
a local medical officer.
Dr Joseph Musa told local journalists Saturday that the deaths
cover the month of April and early May.
Health officials in Freetown said urgent relief and drugs have
been sent to the eastern towns of Segbwema and Tongo Field to "aid"
an unspecified number of patients now admitted at the methodist-run
Nixon Memorial Hospital.
A World Health Organization (WHO) official described Lassa fever
as "highly contagious" and spread by rodents through direct or
indirect contacts with food or water contaminated by their urine.
"The symptoms are ...