Nigeria records 138 Lassa fever deaths in 15 states

 

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 717 confirmed Lassa fever cases out of 4,881 suspected cases from January to May 4, 2025, in 18 states, across 93 local government areas.

 

This was disclosed in the latest situation report by the NCDC on its website on Wednesday.

 

So far, the country has recorded 138 deaths with a Case Fatality Rate of 19.3 per cent.

 

The states with reported death cases are 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).

 

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.