
Sellers of rat poisons and traps along traffic
jam and markets in the FCT have reported a
rise in sales following the outbreak of Lassa
Fever in 10 states.
A survey conducted by the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN), on Saturday in Abuja,
showed that residents of the FCT had
continued to buy either the rat poisons or
other traps.
At Garki, Utako and Wuse Markets, rat
poison sellers were seen brandishing their
products and winning the attention of
eager customers, who before the Lassa
outbreak never paid attention to the
products.
Malam Usman Abdullahi, a rat poison
seller in the Garki market, told NAN he had
recorded enormous sales in the past two
weeks since the outbreak was recorded.
The demand rose immediately one person
was reported killed by the fever in Abuja.
People now patronise us; the most
expensive rat poisons that go for N600 is
now sold for N700, but people still buy
without complaining,” he said.
Most of the times, customers ask for the
strongest poison that will kill the rats
instantly; the poison that kills and dries up
the rats are really in demand.
Although the Lassa disease is a bad thing,
for us it is good business since we are
making our profit,” he said.
At another traffic points, hawkers included
those selling rat poison products to
customers in the vehicles.
Mrs Patricia Eloma , a housewife, said that
people are now paying attention to the
elimination of rodents around their houses
since they had become a serious threat.
There are some very `stubborn’ rats that
have refused to die, no matter what is
thrown at them; rats are becoming
intelligent and seem to be ahead of all the
tricks.
They are accustomed to normal poisons, so
we have to devise other ways or seek
stronger chemicals to kill them.
Some jump over traps or ignored the
poisoned, so we are utilising any new
product out there to terminate them,’’ she
said.
She, however, noted that clean
environments, professional fumigation and
consciousness to close doors, would drive
rodents away.
NAN recalls that the Minister of Health,
Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Thursday
confirmed that a man had died as a result
of Lassa fever at the National Hospital,
Abuja.
The patient, who had travelled from Jos to
Abuja, was reported to have been brought
in unconscious from a private hospital in
Kubwa and died within 24 hours of
reaching the National Hospital.
This incident has increased the number of
deaths recorded since the recent outbreak
of the disease in August 2015 to 43.
Lassa fever or Lassa hemorrhagic fever
(LHF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever
caused by the Lassa virus, first discovered
in 1969 in Lassa town, Borno.
The primary host of the Lassa virus is the
natal multimammate mouse (with multiple
breasts and long tail (mastomys
natalensis), found in most of sub-Saharan
Africa.
The virus is transmitted via contact with
the faeces or urine of the mouse accessing
grain stores and residences.
Symptoms of Lassa fever include high
fever, nausea, stooling, tiredness, cough,
stomach pain, constipation, bloody
vomiting and diarrhoea.
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