The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 135 deaths resulting from Lassa fever and Mpox outbreaks across the country between January and April 2025.
The Director General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this on Friday during the national health security press briefing held in Abuja.
Idris said the country recorded a total of 832 confirmed cases of both diseases within the first four months of the year, with Lassa fever accounting for the majority of the infections.
“Cumulatively, as of epidemiological Week 16, the country has reported 4,253 suspected cases of Lassa fever, 696 confirmed cases, and 132 deaths.The overall Case Fatality Rate stands at 19.0 per cent,” he revealed.
Despite a steady decline in cases in recent weeks, the NCDC warned that the risk of infection remains high in endemic regions.
“These improvements reflect the positive impact of ongoing surveillance, treatment, and community engagement efforts. However, we must intensify our efforts,” he said.
On cerebrospinal meningitis, Idris noted a downward trend in new infections and fatalities as of Week 14, attributing it to adaptive treatment, vaccination strategies, and increased community trust.
Regarding Mpox, the NCDC boss confirmed 723 suspected cases, with 136 laboratory-confirmed across 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the outbreak has resulted in three deaths so far — two in Abia and Ebonyi states, and one in Rivers State involving a young male with advanced HIV and tuberculosis.
This brings the national case fatality rate for Mpox in 2025 to 2.2 per cent.
“Mpox is affecting individuals across a wide range of professions, including students, traders, civil servants, and healthcare workers. This points to a risk of both community and healthcare-associated transmission,” Idris stated.
To curb the spread, the NCDC has activated the Emergency Operation Centre and deployed Rapid Response Teams to affected states.
The agency has also distributed essential medical supplies and scaled up diagnostic capacity by optimising five additional laboratories in Bauchi, Kano, Cross River, Rivers, and Enugu states.
A mortality review meeting has also been convened to investigate the Mpox-related deaths in Abia, Ebonyi, and Rivers.
The NCDC reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding public health through timely, transparent, and accurate health information and interventions.
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