The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that at least 176 people have died from Lassa fever across 21 states since the beginning of 2025.
According to the agency’s latest Lassa Fever Situation Report, Nigeria has recorded 955 confirmed cases from 8,367 suspected infections reported across 102 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
While the overall number of infections has slightly declined compared to the same period in 2024, the NCDC warned that the case fatality rate has worsened—rising from 16.6 per cent last year to 18.4 per cent in 2025.
Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, and Taraba states remain the epicentres of the outbreak, accounting for 88 per cent of all confirmed cases recorded so far this year. Ondo leads with 37 per cent of infections, followed by Bauchi with 21 per cent, Edo with 17 per cent, and Taraba with 13 per cent.
During the reporting week, newly confirmed cases increased slightly from nine in week 42 to 11 in week 43—all from Ondo State. The NCDC noted that the most affected age group is between 21 and 30 years, with a median age of 30 and a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.
The agency attributed the rising death toll to the late presentation of cases and poor health-seeking behaviour among residents of affected communities. It also cited the high cost of treatment and poor environmental sanitation as major drivers of infection, particularly in high-burden areas.
To curb the spread, the NCDC said its multi-sectoral Technical Working Group—which includes the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and the US CDC—continues to coordinate nationwide response activities.
Health workers in Bauchi, Benue, and Ebonyi states have received training on case management, while community sensitisation and radio awareness campaigns are ongoing in hotspot areas like Ondo.
In a bid to strengthen frontline capacity, the agency recently launched an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) e-learning platform and distributed ribavirin and personal protective equipment to treatment centres.
The report further confirmed that no new healthcare worker infections were recorded in week 43.
The NCDC disclosed that ongoing research collaborations with Georgetown University, MSF, and the Nigerian Lassa Fever Vaccine Taskforce aim to accelerate vaccine development and enhance outbreak preparedness.
It urged states to intensify community engagement and environmental health campaigns, and advised healthcare workers to ensure early diagnosis and prompt treatment of suspected cases to prevent further deaths.
