The National Orientation Agency (NOA) yesterday launched a sensitisation campaign on Lassa fever prevention in Ebonyi State, urging residents to stop the eating of rats to check the outbreak.

Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented by Programme Officer, Health Social Care, Adaugo Ngwu, performed the launch of the campaign in Amachi in the Abakaliki Local Government Area.

A Nigeria Centre for Disease Control report revealed that Ebonyi was among the states that reported new cases of the disease in week 11 of 2024.

The total number of new cases reported in that week was 35, and the total number of deaths reported from week 1 to 11 was 142 in the state.

Nwokpor said: “This is the season when our people consume more rats, so there is a need for enlightenment. “We want to educate them to stop eating rats at all.

So, the campaign for prevention is imperative to checkmate the outbreak. “You know, our people eat rats.’’

The traditional ruler of the community, Boniface Nwokocha, commended NOA for bringing the campaign programme to the area. Nwokocha pledged support to the campaign and called on the people to desist from eating rats.