Gladness Gideon
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a total of 674 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 127 associated deaths across 18 states between January and April 6, 2025. This was disclosed in the NCDC’s latest epidemiological situation report released on Tuesday.
According to the agency, the confirmed cases emerged from a pool of 4,025 suspected infections recorded in 93 Local Government Areas nationwide.
The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) currently stands at 18.8 percent—an increase from the 18.5 percent recorded during the same period in 2024.
The affected states with reported fatalities include Ondo (26 deaths), Taraba (31), Edo (17), Bauchi (12), Ebonyi (11), Gombe (seven), Plateau (five), Kogi and Benue (four each), Nasarawa (four), Kaduna (two), and one death each in Enugu, Delta, Cross River, and Ogun states.
Lassa fever, a viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, is primarily transmitted through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or feces of infected multimammate rats, though other rodents can also act as carriers.
“In week 14, the number of new confirmed cases rose slightly to 15 from 14 in the previous week,” the NCDC noted, identifying the cases as being reported from Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, Ebonyi, and Gombe states.
The report revealed that 71 percent of all confirmed infections were concentrated in three states: Ondo (30%), Bauchi (25%), and Edo (16%), while the remaining 28 percent came from the other 15 states with confirmed cases.
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The majority of those infected fall within the 21–30 age group, with a reported age range of one to 94 years and a median age of 30. The gender distribution shows a slightly higher infection rate among males, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.
Despite the increase in confirmed cases and fatalities, the number of suspected cases reported so far in 2025 is lower compared to the same period in 2024. No new infections among healthcare workers were recorded in the reporting week.
The NCDC added that the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Incident Management System remains activated to ensure coordinated response efforts across all levels of government.
Health authorities continue to urge Nigerians to observe strict hygiene practices, avoid contact with rodents, and report early symptoms such as fever, general weakness, and bleeding to health facilities for prompt diagnosis and treatment.