Korede Abdullah in Lagos
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a significant outbreak of Lassa fever, with 10 deaths and 54 confirmed cases recorded between December 30, 2024, and January 5, 2025.
According to the data released by the agency yesterday, showing 18.5% case fatality rate (CFR). The confirmed cases were distributed across six states, including Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, Ebonyi, and Kogi, with 78% of all confirmed infections coming from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi states.
The NCDC has activated its National Lassa Fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System to oversee response efforts.
The agency notes that the predominant age group affected is between 21 to 30 years, with a median age of 31.5 years and a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.6.
Although there has been an increase in suspected cases compared to the same period in 2024, no healthcare workers were infected during the first reporting week of 2025.
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus, primarily transmitted to humans through food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected multimammate rats.
The disease affects hundreds of thousands annually across West Africa, causing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and, in severe cases, bleeding.
Despite its substantial health impact, Lassa fever is categorized as one of the most neglected diseases, with limited resources available for its prevention and treatment.
