Lassa fever kills 39 in three weeks, says NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 214 confirmed cases of Lassa fever, and 39 deaths from December 30, 2024, to January 19, 2025, in 10 states across 43 local government areas.

The centre also reported 843 suspected cases with a case fatality rate of 18.2 per cent, according to the Lassa fever situation report obtained from the NCDC on Thursday.

The cases were confirmed in Ondo (82), Edo (47), Bauchi (35), Taraba (31), Ebonyi (Six), Gombe (Four), Kogi (Four), Plateau (Three), Delta (One), and Nasarawa (One).

The deaths were reported in Ondo (Eight), Edo (Nine), Bauchi (Four), Taraba (Nine), Ebonyi (Three), Gombe (Three), Kogi (One), Plateau (One), and Nasarawa (One).

According to the World Health Organisation, Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses.

Humans usually become infected with the Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items, contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.

The disease is endemic in the rodent population in parts of West Africa.

Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Nigeria.

“Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings in the absence of adequate infection prevention and control measures,” the global health body stated.

“In week three, the number of new confirmed cases decreased from 89 in epi week 2, of 2025 to 71. These were reported in Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Ebonyi, Gombe, Nasarawa, Delta, and Kogi States.

“Cumulatively in week three, 2025, 39 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.2 per cent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2024 (20.4 per cent).

“In total for 2025, 10 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 43 Local Government Areas,” the report partly read.

It stated that 77 of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi, while 23 per cent were reported from seven states with confirmed Lassa fever cases. Of the 77 per cent confirmed cases, Ondo reported 38 per cent, Edo 22 per cent, and Bauchi 17 per cent.

It said the predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (Range: 3 to 94 years, Median Age: 30 years); and the male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8.

“The number of suspected cases increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2024.

“No new healthcare worker was affected in the reporting week three.

“National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System activated to coordinate the response activities at all levels,” it added.

The centre has, however, deployed National Rapid Response Teams to support onsite control and management efforts using a One Health approach.