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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 143 cases of Lassa fever out of 484 suspected cases recorded between December 30, 2024, and January 12, 2025. These cases were reported across seven states and 32 local government areas.
According to the latest Lassa fever situation report obtained on Wednesday, the outbreak has claimed 22 lives, reflecting a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 15.4%.
The reported deaths occurred in Ondo (6), Edo (5), Bauchi (2), Taraba (6), Ebonyi (2), and Gombe (1).
Lassa fever, as described by the World Health Organisation (WHO), is a severe viral haemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus, part of the arenavirus family. Humans typically contract the virus through contact with food or household items contaminated by urine or feces from infected Mastomys rats.
The disease is endemic to rodent populations in parts of West Africa and is common in countries like Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Nigeria, with potential presence in other nations across the region.
“Human-to-human transmission and laboratory infections can also occur, especially in healthcare settings with insufficient infection control practices,” WHO explained.
The NCDC report highlighted a rise in confirmed cases from 54 in epidemiological week one of 2025 to 89 in week two, with cases reported in Ondo, Edo, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Kogi, and Ebonyi States.
As of week two, a total of 22 deaths have been documented, with a CFR of 15.4%, a reduction compared to the CFR of 16.4% recorded during the same period in 2024. This year, confirmed cases have been reported in seven states, spanning 32 local government areas.
Notably, 77% of all confirmed cases originated from three states: Ondo (38%), Edo (22%), and Bauchi (17%), while the remaining 23% came from four other states.
The most affected demographic is the 21–30 age group (range: 3 to 78 years, median age: 32 years), with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.7 among confirmed cases.
The report also noted a decline in suspected cases compared to the same period in 2024. Additionally, one new healthcare worker was infected during the second week of reporting.
To address the outbreak, the NCDC has activated the National Lassa Fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System to oversee response efforts at all levels.
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