Fatality rate of Lassa Fever in Nigeria remains high — NCDC

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a decline in the new Lassa fever cases across the country but warned that the fatality rate remains alarmingly high.

The NCDC via its official website said this in its latest Situation Report for epidemiological week 33 (August 11–17, 2025), and confirmed five new cases, down from 12, the previous week.

The agency said that the new infections were recorded in Bauchi, Ondo, and Edo States.

“So far in 2025, a total of 854 confirmed cases and 159 deaths have been recorded across 21 states and 106 local government areas.

“This represents a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.6 per cent, higher than the 17.2 per cent reported in the same period last year,” it said.

The NCDC noted that 90 per cent of all cases came from just five states; Ondo, 33 per cent; Bauchi, 23 per cent; Edo, 17 per cent; Taraba, 14 per cent; and Ebonyi, three per cent, while the remaining 10 per cent were spread across 16 other states.

The Nigerian Public Health agency said the most affected age group remained the young adults between 21 and 30 years, with slightly more males than females affected.

The NCDC highlighted that while suspected and confirmed cases had dropped compared to 2024, challenges persisted.

It said that the challenges included late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour due to the cost of treatment, and poor environmental sanitation in high-burden communities.