Nigeria Recorded 1,119 Lassa Fever Cases, 206 Deaths In 2025

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says as of December 21, 2025, the country recorded 1,119 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 206 deaths.

This was contained in its situation report for epidemiological week 51 of 2025 (December 15–21, 2025), released yesterday in Abuja.

The report revealed that the country’s case fatality rate (CFR) climbed to 18.4 per cent, higher than the 16.4 per cent reported during the same period in 2024.

Although the cumulative burden remains high, NCDC noted a slight decline in weekly infections, with 21 new confirmed cases recorded in week 51, down from 28 cases in week 50.

The new cases were reported in Edo, Bauchi, Kogi, Ebonyi, Plateau, Ondo and Taraba States, continuing a trend that shows transmission concentrated in a handful of high-burden locations.

According to the report, 21 states across 105 local government areas recorded at least one confirmed case in 2025. However, Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba and Edo States accounted for 88 per cent of all confirmed infections, underscoring the persistent hotspots of the disease.

In a positive development, the NCDC confirmed that no new infections of healthcare workers were recorded in week 51.

The agency also stated that the number of suspected and confirmed cases in 2025 was lower than the figures reported during the same period in 2024, indicating a gradual decline in overall transmission.

It urged continued vigilance, stressing the importance of early reporting, proper sanitation and rodent control, especially in high-risk communities, as the dry season, typically associated with an increase in Lassa fever cases, continues.