Two people in England have been diagnosed with Lassa fever, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced.
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 agency said.
The two confirmed cases of the disease are within the same family in the East of England, and have been linked to travel to West Africa, according to the UKHSA.
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One of the cases has recovered, the agency said, while the other is receiving specialist care at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
A further probable case of Lassa fever is under investigation and the person is receiving care at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the agency added.
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.
Most people with Lassa fever will make a full recovery, the UKHSA said.
There have previously been eight cases of Lassa fever imported into the UK since 1980, with the last two cases occurring in 2009.
The UKHSA said that there was no evidence of onward transmission from any of these previous cases.
In a statement, Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA said: "We can confirm that two cases of Lassa fever have been identified in England, and a further probable case is under investigation. The cases are within the same family and are linked to recent travel to West Africa.
"Cases of Lassa fever are rare in the UK and it does not spread easily between people. The overall risk to the public is very low. 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.
"UKHSA and the NHS have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be reinforced."
According to the World Helath Organisation (WHO), Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.
The WHO says that around 80 per cent of people who become infected with Lassa virus have no symptoms at all, while around one in five infections result in severe disease.
In serious cases, the virus can affect several organs such as the liver, spleen and kidneys.
