Korede Abdullah in Lagos
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified Ondo, Bauchi, and Edo states as the primary epicentres of the 2025 Lassa fever outbreak, contributing 71% of the 660 confirmed cases recorded between January and March.
During a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, NCDC Director-General Dr. Jide Idris revealed that Ondo State accounted for 30% of the cases, followed by Bauchi with 25%, and Edo with 16%.
“Lassa fever remains active in multiple areas,” Idris warned, noting that 28 states and 125 local government areas have been affected so far this year.
The viral hemorrhagic illness, primarily transmitted through contact with urine or faeces of infected rats, has claimed 122 lives, resulting in a case fatality rate of 18.5%—a rise from the 17.5% recorded in the same period of 2024.
In response, the NCDC has activated its incident management system, prioritising early detection, case management, and risk communication.
“Our collective action is vital to ending this outbreak. We must act swiftly, in unity and at every level of society,” Idris urged.
National Rapid Response Teams have been deployed, health workers trained, and awareness campaigns intensified in high-burden areas.
Despite a decline in confirmed cases from 41 in Week 12 to 14 in Week 13, the NCDC continues to collaborate with global partners like WHO, MSF, and AFENET to enhance surveillance and clinical care.
Research efforts under the CEPI-funded Enable Lassa Fever Program 1.5 and the COPE II strategy are underway to improve preparedness.
Idris assured Nigerians that the agency is working with state health authorities and environmental health officers, adding that new initiatives, including a Lassa fever advocacy toolkit and a webinar series, will soon be launched.
“Early medical attention can significantly reduce fatality rates,” he emphasized.
