Lassa Fever: UK Returnee Dies As Death Toll Hits 98

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed the death of a 31-year-old physician who recently returned from the United Kingdom and was diagnosed with Lassa fever.

This brings the total number of fatalities from the viral disease to 98 since the beginning of 2025.

Director-General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, in a public advisory on Monday, said the deceased had travelled abroad on February 19, 2025, and returned to Nigeria on February 27. He fell ill shortly after and was treated at a private facility in Ondo State, where his symptoms raised suspicion of Lassa fever.

A sample was collected on February 28, but before the test result could confirm his infection, he passed away in the early hours of March 1. Laboratory results later confirmed Lassa fever on March 4, he explained.

Following the physician’s death, NCDC said health authorities in Ondo State have launched an extensive contact tracing operation to identify those who may have been exposed, adding that it was also working with Port Health Services to monitor in-flight contacts and collaborating with UK health officials to ensure international coordination under the International Health Regulations (2005).

The NCDC epidemiological report for week nine (February 24–March 2, 2025) revealed that the country has recorded 2,728 suspected cases, out of which 535 have been confirmed with 98 deaths across 14 States. The case fatality rate stands at 18.3 per cent, with five States; Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi accounting for 91 per cent of confirmed cases.

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which is primarily transmitted through contact with the urine, feces, saliva, or blood of infected rats. The disease can also spread from person to person through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected individual, particularly in healthcare settings with inadequate infection control measures.

Early symptoms of Lassa fever mimic common illnesses such as malaria and include fever, headache, weakness, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle pains. In severe cases, it can lead to bleeding from the eyes, nose, and other body openings.

According to NCDC, those at higher risk of Lassa fever include people living in rat-infested environments, those consuming contaminated food or water, healthcare workers without adequate infection prevention measures and individuals who process or handle rodents for consumption.

The Centre has, therefore, urged Nigerians to take preventive measures to curb the spread of Lassa fever, emphasising that preventing Lassa fever is a shared responsibility.