A patient has died after a third case of Lassa fever was confirmed in the UK, health officials say.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the person had died in Bedfordshire, following the discovery of two cases of the Ebola-like virus in the east of England which were announced on Wednesday.

All three cases were members of the same family that recently returned from west Africa, where in some parts the animal-borne acute viral illness is endemic, according to the UKHSA.

The person who died had been treated by doctors at the Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which runs Bedford Hospital, and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital.

The UKHSA said: “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. The risk to the general public remains very low.”

‘Robust contact tracing exercise’

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.

Dame Cressida Dick: Met Police commissioner’s replacement faces ‘stark challenges’, Priti Patel warns

How will Cressida Dick’s successor be chosen and who are the top contenders?

Flamur Beqiri: Swedish kickboxer found guilty of murdering father-of-two in ‘organised hit’ in London

“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.”

Lassa fever is caused by Lassa virus.

Prior to these latest cases, there have been eight cases of Lassa fever imported to the UK since 1980.

Last cases in UK were 13 years ago

The last two cases happened in 2009.

There was no evidence of onward transmission from any of these cases, said the government.

Lassa fever is usually caught from exposure to food or household items contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected rats.

It can also be transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids.

5,000 deaths worldwide annually

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is endemic in parts of west Africa including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria.

In some areas of Sierra Leone and Liberia, 10-16% of people admitted to hospitals annually have Lassa fever, demonstrating the serious impact the disease has on the region.

There are 100,000 to 300,000 Lassa fever cases estimated in west Africa each year, with around 5,000 deaths.

About 80% show no symptoms, while others experience a fever with aches and pains that can progress to headaches, vomiting and diarrhoea.

In severe cases there may be facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure.

Deafness occurs in 25% of patients who survive the disease.

In half of these cases, hearing returns partially after one to three months.

The illness was discovered in 1969 and is named after the town in Nigeria where the first cases occurred.

Related posts:

Record high hospital waiting list in England as 5.1m need treatment Woman, 25, dies after being hit by marked police car on 999 call UK reports more than 7,000 new COVID cases for second day in a row ‘My policeman ex-husband threatened me with a knife but his colleagues did nothing’ E. coli scare as tap water in thousands of homes in Surrey and Kent could be contaminated UK records 127 coronavirus deaths and 36,060 new cases, daily figures show ‘Beautiful’ and ‘sweet’ boy, 10, killed in dog attack is named by police ‘Britcoin’ consultation to begin next year – but no launch before 2025 The controversies presided over by Met Police commissioner Cressida Dick Adele surprises fans by pole dancing at London nightclub Couple to stand trial over death of one-year-old boy they were trying to adopt Rights group says LGBT campaigners trying to revoke its independent status have ‘wrong target’