The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reports that Lassa fever has caused 138 deaths between January and the current date in 2025, resulting in a case fatality rate of 19.3 percent. This represents an increase from the 18.0 percent recorded during the same period in 2024, according to the latest situation report posted on the NCDC's official website.

As of Week 18, a total of 717 confirmed cases have been recorded, with four new states (Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, and Benue) reporting cases in the current week alone. While the number of new confirmed cases slightly decreased from 11 to 10 in the past week, the overall death toll remains alarming.

Seventy-one percent of all confirmed cases originated from three states: Ondo (30 percent), Bauchi (25 percent), and Taraba (16 percent). This indicates persistent hotspots despite nationwide interventions. The most affected age group is 21–30 years, with males slightly more affected than females, showing a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.

No healthcare worker was infected in the current week; however, 22 healthcare workers have been affected so far in 2025. The NCDC has activated a multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System and deployed 10 Rapid Response Teams across affected states. Contact tracing, community sensitization, and the distribution of essential commodities like PPEs, Ribavirin, body bags, and disinfectants have been intensified.

These efforts are in collaboration with international partners such as the WHO, MSF, CEPI, and Georgetown University. Nigeria has conducted multiple webinars, capacity-building trainings, and surveillance activities to combat the outbreak.

Challenges to the responses include late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behavior, and low awareness levels in high-burden areas. Poor environmental sanitation also contributes to disease spread. The agency urges Nigerians to maintain hygiene, report symptoms early, and avoid contact with rodents and their secretions. The public is also encouraged to follow NCDC advisories and utilize the toll-free line 6232 for inquiries.

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with the urine or feces of infected rats. It can also spread from person to person through bodily fluids, contaminated objects, or infected medical equipment. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, muscle pain, and in severe cases, bleeding from body openings.