Nigeria records decline in Lassa fever cases – NCDC
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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 in the report stated 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.
Specifically, the centre said 145 deaths were reported with a CFR of 18.6 per cent, compared to 17.6 per cent in 2024.
The decline in cases, the centre said, is a positive trend, but the persistent high fatality rate is a cause for concern among health experts.
The NCDC reported that cases decreased from 11 in week 29 to three in week 30, which were recorded in Edo and Ondo States.
The agency said that cumulatively, Nigeria has recorded 825 confirmed cases and 155 deaths across 21 states and 105 local government areas since the start of 2025.
The report also showed that 89 percent of confirmed cases were concentrated in five states: Ondo, 32 percent; Bauchi, 23 percent; Edo, 17 percent; Taraba, 14 percent; and Ebonyi, 3 percent.
The centre said that the most affected age group was between 21 and 30 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.
The NCDC noted that while suspected and confirmed cases have decreased compared to last year, challenges persist, including late presentation at healthcare facilities, high treatment costs, poor environmental sanitation, and limited public awareness in high-burden communities.
It stated that response activities in the week included clinical management training, risk communication campaigns, rodent control programs, distribution of thermometers for contact monitoring, and the deployment of rapid response teams to affected states.
The NCDC urged Nigerians 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 News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 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 the body openings.
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