Lassa fever claimed 206 lives in Nigeria last year – NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that Lassa fever continued to claim lives across the country in 2025 despite a modest decline in new infections, with 206 deaths recorded nationwide.

The agency disclosed that the fatalities occurred from 1,119 confirmed cases out of 9,270 suspected cases reported in the year, raising concerns about treatment outcomes and health-seeking behaviour.

According to the NCDC’s Lassa Fever Situation Report for Epidemiological Week 51 (December 15–21, 2025), new confirmed cases declined from 28 in week 50 to 21 in week 51.

However, five deaths were recorded during the same period, pushing the case fatality rate (CFR) to 23.8 per cent for the week and 18.4 per cent cumulatively for 2025, compared with 16.4 per cent at the same time in 2024.

“While the reduction in newly confirmed cases is encouraging, the persistently high fatality rate remains a major concern,” the agency said.

The NCDC noted that the 21 confirmed cases recorded in week 51 were reported from Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo, Kogi, Ebonyi and Plateau states. Cumulatively, 21 states and 105 local government areas were affected in 2025.

It added that four states continued to account for the bulk of infections, with Ondo contributing 35 per cent of confirmed cases, Bauchi 25 per cent, Edo 16 per cent and Taraba 12 per cent.

Data from the report showed that young adults remained the most affected demographic, with the 21–30 age group recording the highest number of confirmed cases. Overall, infections were reported among persons aged between one and 96, with a median age of 30. Males were slightly more affected than females, at a ratio of 1:0.8.

Explaining the rising number of deaths, the NCDC attributed the trend largely to late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour and the high cost of treatment in high-burden communities.

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