On Oct. 28, 2024, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed the death of a middle-aged eastern Iowa resident from Lassa fever. The individual had recently returned from travel to West Africa, where it is believed they contracted the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was working to confirm the diagnosis of Lassa fever. Initial testing was done at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory.

Lassa fever is not spread through casual human contact like hugging, shaking hands or sitting near someone or through the air. Though very rare, the virus can be transmitted from human to human contact through blood or bodily fluids. Lassa fever is carried by rodents in West Africa and is transmitted to humans who may come in contact with urine or feces of the infected rodents. 

There have been eight travel-associated cases of Lassa fever in the U.S. in the past 55 years. Approximately, 80% of those that contract Lassa fever have mild or no symptoms at all.