The death toll from Lassa fever in Nigeria has climbed to 168 in 2025, according to the latest epidemiological report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The report, covering epidemiological Week 38, revealed a slight rise in fatalities from 166 to 168, pushing the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) to 18.5 per cent — higher than the 16.9 per cent recorded within the same period in 2024.
So far, the country has recorded 7,792 suspected cases and 906 confirmed infections across 21 states and 106 local government areas.
The NCDC disclosed that Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi remain the worst-hit states, accounting for 90 per cent of all confirmed cases. Ondo tops the chart with 33 per cent, followed by Bauchi (23 per cent), Edo (18 per cent),
Taraba (13 per cent), and Ebonyi (three per cent). The remaining 16 states share just 10 per cent of infections.
“The number of new confirmed cases remained unchanged from the previous week, with 11 cases reported across Ondo, Edo, and Taraba states,” the NCDC noted.
The report further revealed that those between the ages of 21 and 30 are the most affected, although cases have been reported among patients as young as one year and as old as 96. The median age is 30, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.
Health experts warn that the continued rise in fatality rates poses a serious public health concern.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also reiterated that Lassa fever remains endemic in Nigeria and several West African countries, including Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Guinea, Mali, and Sierra Leone.
Lassa fever is transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected multimammate rats. Human-to-human transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings.
The NCDC has urged Nigerians to maintain high standards of personal and environmental hygiene, store food properly, and seek early medical care when symptoms such as persistent fever, general weakness, or bleeding tendencies appear.
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