NIGERIA REPORTS 138 LASSA FEVER DEATHS ACROSS 15 STATES
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By: Motunrayo Aniwura
From January to May 4, 2025, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 717 confirmed Lassa fever cases in 18 states and 93 local government areas, out of 4,881 suspected cases.
This was revealed in the most recent situation report published by the NCDC on its website on Wednesday.
With 138 documented deaths to date, the nation’s case fatality rate is 19.3%.
Ondo (27); Bauchi (15); Edo (19); Taraba (34); Ebonyi (11); Kogi (four); Gombe (seven), Plateau (five), Benue (five), Nasarawa (four), Kaduna (two), Enugu (one), Delta (two), Cross-River (one), and Ogun (one) are the states with the highest number of recorded death cases.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus.
The natural reservoir for the virus is the multimammate rat (also known as the African rat), although other rodents can also act as carriers.
The report partly read, “In week 18, the number of new confirmed cases decreased from 11 in epi week 17, of 2025, to 10. These were reported in Ondo, Edo, Bauchi and Benue States.
“Cumulatively in week 18, 2025, 138 deaths have been reported with a CFR of 19.2 per cent which is higher than the CFR for the same period in 2024 (18.0 per cent).
“In total for 2025, 18 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 93 Local Government Areas.”
It stated that 71 per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from three states (Ondo, Bauchi and Taraba) while 28 per cent were reported from 15 states with confirmed Lassa fever cases.
It added that of the 71 per cent confirmed cases, Ondo reported 30 per cent, Bauchi 25 per cent, and Taraba 16 per cent.
The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (Range: 1 to 96 years, Median Age: 30 years); and the male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8.
“The number of suspected and confirmed cases decreased compared to that reported for the same period in 2024.
“No new healthcare worker was affected in the reporting week 18.
“The National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System activated to coordinate the response activities at all levels,” it noted.
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