A patient has died from a confirmed case of Lassa fever, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was treating the patient for a suspected case of the disease.
In a statement, the UK Health Security Agency said the confirmed case of Lassa fever brought the total cases of the potentially fatal disease in the UK to three.
The statement 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.”
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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.
“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, an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, is usually caught through rats and is endemic in a number of West African countries, the UKHSA agency said.
The virus is usually caught when a person comes into contact with food or household items contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected rats.
It can also be spread through infected bodily fluids.
On Wednesday (9 February) the UKHSA confirmed that two people in England had been diagnosed with the disease., while another probable case was being investigated and receiving treatment at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The first two cases were within the same family in the East of England, and have been linked to travel to West Africa.
One of the cases has recovered, the agency said, while the other is receiving specialist care at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
