Key Points

• NCDC reports 172 deaths from Lassa fever in 21 states.

• Fatality rate climbs to 18.6%, higher than in 2024.

• Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi account for most confirmed cases.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported 172 deaths from Lassa fever across 21 states, with the latest data showing a rise in both confirmed cases and fatality rate.

According to the agency’s Week 40 Situation Report covering September 29 to October 5, 2025, Nigeria recorded 924 confirmed cases and 8,041 suspected infections across 106 local government areas.

The fatality rate now stands at 18.6 percent, up from 17 percent recorded during the same period last year.

Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi remain hardest hit

The NCDC said Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, and Ebonyi states accounted for 90 percent of all confirmed cases.

Ondo alone was responsible for 35 percent. Confirmed infections in the state rose from four in Week 39 to 13 in Week 40.

The report also showed that most patients were between 21 and 30 years old, with a male-to-female ratio of 1 to 0.8. No new healthcare worker infections were recorded during the review week.

The centre linked the high death rate to late presentation of patients, poor health-seeking habits, and weak infection prevention in some areas.

It also cited poor sanitation and low awareness as major drivers of the outbreak.

Response teams deployed, states urged to act

To contain the spread, the NCDC said it had deployed 10 rapid response teams to affected states, working under a One Health approach.

Ongoing measures include healthcare worker training, community risk awareness campaigns, and distribution of essential response supplies such as Ribavirin, protective gear, and thermometers.

The agency also highlighted ongoing interventions like the INTEGRATE clinical trial in Ondo State, capacity-building workshops for clinicians, and environmental health campaigns in high-burden areas.

The NCDC urged state governments to intensify community engagement, improve sanitation, and strengthen early detection systems.

It also called on healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion and begin prompt treatment to reduce deaths.

Lassa fever still a major threat

Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic illness spread mainly through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rats.

It can also spread between humans, especially in hospitals with weak infection control measures.

Symptoms include fever, weakness, vomiting, and in severe cases, bleeding and organ failure.

Nigeria carries the highest global burden of the disease, with most cases reported in Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, and Ebonyi states.

The infection peaks during the dry season, from December to April, and has a high fatality rate when patients delay seeking treatment.