If you find a big rat near your house, would hunger caused by hardship make you consider eating it? This may be the question that Nigerians need to ask as Benue State battles Lassa fever caused by rats.
Now, residents may have to stop the culture of eating rats as Lassa fever begin to spring up in some parts of the country.
Rat meat, a meat cherished so much by the people of Benue is about to cause a major health crisis in the state and the Nigerian government says it must be stopped.
As we speak, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has warned residents of to stop the consumption of rats to avert the outbreak of Lassa fever.
Consequently, guests who visit the state may need to be very careful.
Indeed, with the wide consumption of rats in Benue, one may mistakenly take a bite without knowing.
While people in Lagos and other states place value on meats gotten from cows, goats, chickens, etc, our brothers and sisters in Benue say there is no meat sweater than rat.
Well, things are about to change.
The State Coordinator of the NOA, Bitrus Audu, has called for heightened awareness. He believes it will help to prevent a potential Lassa fever outbreak in Benue State.
Lassa Fever Campaign
It was during a press conference held as part of the agency’s nationwide campaign against the deadly disease that Audu shared this message.
“This is the time of year when many people consume more rats, so education is critical,” Audu screamed.
Also Read: 137 Cases Of Lassa Fever Confirmed In Nigeria In 2023 — NCDC
He continued: “We are urging them to avoid eating rats altogether.
However, if they cannot stop, they should at least identify and avoid the specific species that carry the virus.”
Audu explained that the primary carrier of the Lassa virus is the multimammate rats (Mastomys natalensis) in Benue. It is a common rodent species in Sub-Saharan Africa.
While the multimammate rat hosts the virus, it does not fall ill from the infection.
