The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported 172 deaths from Lassa fever across 21 states, representing a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.6 per cent higher than the 17 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024.
In its latest Lassa Fever Situation Report for Week 40 (September 29–October 5), the agency said 924 confirmed cases and 8,041 suspected cases were recorded in 106 Local Government Areas nationwide.
Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba and Ebonyi states accounted for 90 per cent of all confirmed cases, with Ondo alone responsible for 35 per cent. The report also showed that confirmed infections rose from four in Week 39 to 13 in Week 40, all reported in Ondo State.
According to the NCDC, the most affected age group is 21 to 30 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8. It noted that no new healthcare worker infection was recorded during the week under review.
The agency attributed the high fatality rate to late presentation of cases and poor health-seeking behaviour in high-burden communities. It also cited poor environmental sanitation and low public awareness as major factors driving the spread of the disease.
To strengthen its response, the NCDC said it had deployed 10 national rapid response teams to affected states, adopting a One Health approach. Ongoing interventions include the training of healthcare workers, risk communication campaigns, and the distribution of essential response commodities such as Ribavirin, personal protective equipment (PPEs), and thermometers to treatment centres.
The agency added that other efforts include the ongoing INTEGRATE clinical trial in Ondo State, capacity-building workshops for clinicians, and environmental health campaigns in states with high infection rates.
The NCDC urged state governments to intensify community engagement on prevention, improve early case detection and referral, and called on healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever and begin prompt treatment to reduce fatalities.
Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease endemic in Nigeria, transmitted mainly through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rats. It can also spread from person to person, particularly in healthcare settings without adequate infection control.
Symptoms include fever, weakness, vomiting, bleeding, and in severe cases, organ failure. Nigeria currently bears the highest global burden of Lassa fever, with the disease peaking during the dry season, typically between December and April.
