As the spread of Lassa Fever continues Lagos State recorded death from the monster. The Federal,State and Local Government and above all the citizens must work hard to stop the spread and eradicate the disease. Here are the six ways one can avoid contacting the viral haemorrhagic fever.
Avoid Contact With Rats As Much As Possible.
Rats love damp environments. They thrive where rubbish, dirt and heaps exist. Clean out your home, office and anywhere you stay. Burn bushes around your home, clean the gutters.
Disposal Of Waste Properly And Cleaning The Environment So That Rats Are Not Attracted.
Ensure the rats do not come back. Use proper waste bins that are covered. Do not allow left over food or dirty plates overnight. Wash your dirty plates, throw away used newspapers, do not allow them accumulate.
Observe Good Personal Hygiene, Including Hand Washing With Soap And Clean Running Water Regularly
Get a hand sanitizer. Do not touch the rails in public places, wash hands as frequently as you can. If not, use a hand sanitizer.
Store Foods In Rat Proof Containers
Buy good, tough plastic containers or buckets to store your food. Remove foods that are in cartons and bags such as cereals, rice, garri, semovita, etc. store them in these containers. Ensure the containers have good tight fitting covers.Where you have stubborn rats that eat plastic, use metal containers.
Throw Away Any Food That Has Been Eaten By Rats Or That You Can See With Rat Droppings
This is not the period to be a miser – Throw it away!!! Don’t cut away that part that was eaten and keep the rest even if it is your favorite pack of corn flakes.Better to throw away all the garri and buy new one than scoop it away.
Cook All Foods Thoroughly Before Eating.
The Lassa virus is killed by good and extensive heat; ensure you cook your foods well.Avoid drinking garri at this point as you are not very sure of the source of the garri even if it has been at your house. If you must drink garri, fry it again and put immediately put in a container. It is better to have the garri as 'Eba'. The heat will kill the virus.
Avoid tasting garri at the market.
If you must eat salads and fresh vegetables and fruits, wash them thoroughly. Where possible, use vinegar to wash your fruits and vegetables and rinse off the vinegar before eating.
Source: WHO
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