Nigeria records 80 deaths from Lassa fever in one week

Nigeria records 80 deaths from Lassa fever in one week

News

February 24, 2025

Nigeria recorded 80 deaths from 413 confirmed Lassa fever cases across 11 states during Epidemiological Week 6 (Feb. 3–9, 2025).

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said in an information on its official website, that the case fatality rate (CFR) had risen to 19.4 per cent, up from 17.5 per cent in the same period in 2024, with the affected age group primarily 21 to 30 years.

The latest Lassa Fever Situation Report revealed that 73 per cent of confirmed cases came from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi states, with Ondo leading at 34 per cent, followed by Edo 21 per cent and Bauchi 18 per cent

The NCDC pointed to poor health-seeking behaviour, high treatment costs, and limited awareness in high-burden communities as major challenges, but urged Nigerians to take preventive measures, including maintaining proper hygiene, avoiding contact with rodent droppings, and seeking medical attention early if symptoms like fever, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding occur.