Lassa Fever
Nigeria is experiencing a decline in Lassa fever cases, but the fatality rate remains high, according to a report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The centre noted that while the number of suspected and confirmed cases has decreased compared to the same period in 2024, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) remained high.
The NCDC reported 145 deaths with a CFR of 18.6 per cent, compared to 17.6 per cent in 2024. Cases fell from 11 in week 29 to three in week 30, recorded in Edo and Ondo states.
Cumulatively, Nigeria has recorded 825 confirmed cases and 155 deaths across 21 states and 105 local government areas since the start of 2025.
According to the NCDC, about 89 per cent of confirmed cases were concentrated in five states: Ondo (32 per cent), Bauchi (23 per cent), Edo (17 per cent), Taraba (14 per cent), and Ebonyi (three per cent).
The most affected age group was between 21 and 30 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.
*Challenges and Response*
The NCDC noted challenges including late presentation at healthcare facilities, high treatment costs, poor environmental sanitation, and limited public awareness. Response activities included clinical management training, risk communication campaigns, and rodent control programmes.
“Nigerians are urged to adopt preventive measures such as proper food storage, environmental hygiene, and early medical consultation to reduce the spread and severity of the disease,” the NCDC stated.
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with the urine or faeces of infected rats.
Symptoms include fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, muscle pain, and in severe cases, bleeding from body openings.
The NCDC urged Nigerians to adopt preventive measures to reduce the spread and severity of the disease, highlighting the need for continued vigilance despite the decline in cases.
