The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a rise in Lassa fever fatalities, with 172 deaths recorded across the country as of epidemiological week 40, 2025.
According to the latest report obtained by Hobnob News, the nation’s total confirmed cases now stand at 924, with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.6 percent—an increase from 17.0 percent recorded during the same period in 2024.
Lassa fever, classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an acute viral haemorrhagic illness, is caused by the Lassa virus, which belongs to the arenavirus family. Humans typically contract the virus through contact with food or household items contaminated by urine or faeces from infected Mastomys rats.
WHO also identifies Lassa fever as endemic across several West African countries, including Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
The NCDC report revealed that 21 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 106 Local Government Areas, with Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi states accounting for the majority of infections. Specifically, Ondo reported 35 percent of cases, Bauchi 22 percent, Edo 17 percent, Taraba 13 percent, and Ebonyi 3 percent.
“The number of new confirmed cases rose from four in week 39 to 13 in week 40, primarily reported in Ondo State,” the NCDC stated.
The most affected age group is between 21 and 30 years, with a median age of 30, while the male-to-female ratio of confirmed cases stands at 1:0.8.
Encouragingly, the report noted that no new infections among healthcare workers were recorded during the period. However, the overall number of confirmed cases remains higher compared to 2024 figures.
The NCDC’s multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate national response efforts to contain the outbreak and strengthen surveillance and treatment at all levels.
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