Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus, primarily transmitted to humans through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces from infected Mastomys rats. The disease is endemic in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria.
The highest number of confirmed cases were reported in Ondo (82), Edo (47), Bauchi (35), and Taraba (31), with additional cases in Ebonyi, Gombe, Kogi, Plateau, Delta, and Nasarawa. Deaths were reported in Ondo (8), Edo (9), Bauchi (4), Taraba (9), and other states.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also highlighted the risk of person-to-person transmission, especially in healthcare settings without proper infection control measures.The World Health Organization (WHO) also highlighted the risk of person-to-person transmission, especially in healthcare settings without proper infection control measures.
The report from week 3 of 2025 indicated a slight decrease in new confirmed cases, with 71 reported in the week, down from 89 the previous week. The cumulative death toll for week 3 stands at 39, with a reduced case fatality rate compared to the same period in 2024 (20.4%)
NCDC’s report further revealed that 77% of confirmed cases were from Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi, with the majority of cases in individuals aged 21-30 years. The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases was 1:0.8.
In response, NCDC has activated the National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System to coordinate efforts, and deployed National Rapid Response Teams to assist with control and management using a One Health approach.