Lassa Fever Death Toll Rises To 145

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed eight new cases of Lassa fever, bringing the total confirmed cases to 766 as the death toll hits 145.

The NCDC Situation Report for 2025 revealed that the new cases were reported from Edo, Ondo, Taraba and Ebonyi States. This marks a slight drop from the 11 cases reported in the previous week.

However, the death toll has continued to rise, with 145 deaths recorded so far in 2025. This puts the national case fatality rate (CFR) at 18.9 per cent, an increase from 17.6 per cent recorded during the same period last year.

Despite the decline in weekly infections, the disease remains widespread. NCDC noted that 18 states and 96 local government areas had reported at least one confirmed case since January.

The report showed that Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba and Ebonyi  accounted for 91 per cent of all confirmed cases, with Ondo State alone contributing 31 per cent.

It also highlighted that young adults aged 21–30 years remained the most affected age group, with a median age of 30 years. The infection rate is slightly higher in males, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.

To strengthen the national response, the NCDC said it had activated a multi-sectoral Incident Management System (IMS) involving various partners and agencies to coordinate control efforts at all levels.

Lassa fever is a life-threatening viral disease typically spread through contact with food or household items contaminated by rodent urine or feces.

NCDC urged Nigerians to take preventive measures seriously and report early symptoms to health facilities.