The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, has reported 168 deaths from Lassa fever in the country.
According to the agency’s latest epidemiological report, the viral outbreak continues to spread across multiple states, with new figures showing a rise in both cases and fatality rates.
The report, released on Friday, covered the period from January 1 to September 21, 2025, and revealed that Nigeria has now recorded a total of 7,792 suspected cases and 906 confirmed cases in 21 states across 106 Local Government Areas.
The Case Fatality Rate currently stands at 18.5 per cent, higher than the 16.9 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024.
The World Health Organisation describes Lassa fever as an acute viral illness caused by the Lassa virus, which is endemic in several West African countries, including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Ghana, Mali, and Benin.
Transmission primarily occurs through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces, but human-to-human transmission is also possible, especially in healthcare settings without strict infection prevention and control measures.
Breaking down the figures, the NCDC noted that five states accounted for 90 per cent of all confirmed cases.
Ondo State recorded the highest share at 33 per cent, followed by Bauchi with 23 per cent, Edo with 18 per cent, Taraba with 13 per cent, and Ebonyi with three per cent. The remaining 10 per cent of cases were spread across 16 other states.
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The report further revealed that the predominant age group affected is between 21 and 30 years, with cases ranging from infants to elderly individuals as old as 96 years.
The median age of confirmed cases is 30 years, and the male-to-female ratio currently stands at 1:0.8, indicating that slightly more men are being affected.
In Week 38 of 2025, Nigeria reported 11 new confirmed cases of Lassa fever, the same number as recorded in Week 37. These fresh cases were reported from Ondo, Edo, and Taraba States.
Encouragingly, no new infections were recorded among healthcare workers during this period, a sign that infection prevention measures in hospitals may be improving.
While the number of suspected and confirmed cases has decreased compared to the same period last year, the rise in fatalities has raised alarm.
Public health experts warn that the higher CFR highlights the urgency of strengthening early detection, treatment capacity, and awareness campaigns across the country.
The NCDC said its multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate response activities nationwide.
This includes surveillance, case management, risk communication, and the provision of personal protective equipment to healthcare workers on the frontlines.
Authorities are urging Nigerians to maintain proper hygiene, store food safely, and avoid contact with rodents to curb the spread of the disease.
Communities in high-burden states have also been advised to report symptoms early and seek immediate medical attention in designated healthcare centres.
With the dry season approaching—a period historically associated with higher transmission rates—public health officials are bracing for possible spikes and reinforcing calls for vigilance.
NAN
