The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that Lassa fever has claimed the lives of 176 people across 21 states in Nigeria so far in 2025. This grim statistic reflects a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.4 percent, up from 16.6 percent in the same period in 2024, highlighting escalating concerns over the disease’s lethality.
According to the NCDC’s epidemiological report for week 43, Nigeria recorded 955 confirmed Lassa fever cases from over 8,000 suspected infections. The majority of confirmed cases, about 88 percent, emanate from four states: Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, and Taraba. Ondo alone accounts for 37 percent of the infections, followed by Bauchi with 21 percent, Edo at 17 percent, and Taraba with 13 percent. The remaining 12 percent of cases are spread across 17 other states.
The National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate response efforts to contain the outbreak. However, key difficulties such as late presentation of patients, poor health-seeking behavior due to high treatment costs, inadequate environmental sanitation, and low community awareness in high-burden areas have hindered progress.
The virus, endemic in West Africa, primarily spreads through contact with rodent urine or droppings but can also transmit person-to-person via contact with bodily fluids. Young adults aged 21-30 have been identified as the most affected demographic group.
The NCDC urges states to intensify community education, reinforce preventive measures, and healthcare providers to maintain vigilance for early detection and treatment to curb fatalities and control outbreaks effectively.
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