By Charles Maduka
Nigeria has reported 138 deaths from Lassa fever since the start of 2025, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
In its latest update released on Wednesday, the NCDC revealed that between January and May 4, a total of 717 confirmed cases were detected from 4,881 suspected cases in 93 local government areas across 18 states.
The death toll brings the case fatality rate to 19.3 percent — higher than the 18 percent recorded during the same period in 2024.
States with the highest number of deaths include Taraba (34), Ondo (27), and Edo (19), followed by Bauchi (15), Ebonyi (11), and several others including Kogi, Gombe, Plateau, Benue, and more.
Lassa fever is a viral infection spread by rodents, especially the multimammate rat, commonly found in parts of West Africa.
The NCDC noted a slight drop in new infections, with only 10 confirmed cases reported in the 18th week of the year, down from 11 the previous week. These new cases were reported in Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, and Benue states.
So far in 2025, three states—Ondo, Bauchi, and Taraba—have accounted for 71 percent of all confirmed cases. Specifically, Ondo alone recorded 30 percent, Bauchi 25 percent, and Taraba 16 percent.
The age group most affected ranges between 21 and 30 years, with the average patient age being 30. Slightly more males than females have been infected.
The NCDC also confirmed that no new health worker was infected during the last reporting week. It added that a coordinated national response involving various partners is ongoing to manage the outbreak.
Lassa fever remains a serious health concern in Nigeria, especially during the dry season, which typically sees a spike in infections.
Leave a Reply