The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that 172 people have died from Lassa fever across 21 states so far this year.
According to the agency’s latest Lassa Fever Situation Report for Week 40 (September 29 – October 5), the country has recorded 924 confirmed cases and 8,041 suspected cases from 106 local government areas.
The current case fatality rate stands at 18.6%, slightly higher than the 17% recorded around the same period in 2024.
The NCDC revealed that Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi States account for about 90% of all confirmed cases, with Ondo alone responsible for 35%. Notably, the number of confirmed cases in Ondo rose from four in Week 39 to 13 in Week 40.
Most of those affected fall within the 21–30 years age range, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8. Thankfully, no new infections among healthcare workers were reported during the week under review.
The NCDC attributed the high death rate to late presentation of cases and poor health-seeking behaviour among residents of affected communities. It also identified poor sanitation and low public awareness as major factors contributing to the spread of the disease.
To combat the outbreak, the agency said it has deployed 10 national rapid response teams to affected states under its One Health approach. It is also training healthcare workers, carrying out risk communication campaigns, and distributing essential supplies such as Ribavirin, PPEs, and thermometers to treatment centres.
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The centre further mentioned ongoing initiatives like the INTEGRATE clinical trial in Ondo State, capacity-building workshops for clinicians, and environmental health campaigns in high-burden states.
The NCDC urged states to intensify community sensitisation, improve early case detection, and ensure timely referral and treatment of patients. It also advised health workers to maintain a high level of alertness for Lassa fever symptoms and act quickly to reduce fatalities.
Lassa fever, a viral haemorrhagic disease endemic in Nigeria, is primarily spread through contact with food or items contaminated by infected rats. It can also spread from person to person, especially in hospitals without proper infection control.
Symptoms include fever, weakness, vomiting, bleeding, and in severe cases, organ failure. The disease tends to peak during the dry season (December to April) and remains a major public health concern in Nigeria, which currently bears the highest global burden of the infection.
