The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed 357 individuals under surveillance following concerns that they may have been exposed to Lassa fever. This development comes after a 31-year-old doctor, who recently returned from the United Kingdom on February 27, 2025, succumbed to the disease on March 1, 2025.
Reports indicate that the physician sought medical care at a private hospital in Ondo State after arriving in Nigeria. The NCDC confirmed the diagnosis on March 4, 2025, through PCR testing, revealing that the deceased had also traveled to Edo State, where he visited his fiancée, family, and friends before falling ill.
As of March 2, 2025, Lassa fever has infected 535 people out of 2,728 suspected cases across 13 states and 75 local government areas. Tragically, the virus has claimed over 100 lives, with a case fatality rate of 18.7%. The NCDC highlighted that Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus, which is primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents, particularly the multimammate rat. Although cases occur throughout the year, peak transmission is typically between October and May.
Recent NCDC data for the ninth week of 2025 indicates a decline in newly confirmed cases, dropping from 54 in the previous week to 29. The latest infections were reported in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Plateau, Cross River, Nasarawa, and Enugu states. A cumulative analysis shows that Ondo, Bauchi, and Edo account for 72% of confirmed cases, with Ondo alone reporting 31%, Bauchi 24%, and Edo 17%. Individuals aged 21-30 are the most affected demographic, and the male-to-female ratio among confirmed cases stands at 1:0.8.
In 2025 alone, 17 healthcare workers have contracted the disease, with infections recorded in Ondo (eight), Bauchi (four), Edo (one), Taraba (two), and Gombe (two). Confirmed cases have also been identified in states such as Kogi, Benue, Delta, and Nasarawa. Fatalities have been reported in multiple locations, with the highest number occurring in Taraba (26), Ondo (21), and Edo (15).
To combat the outbreak, the NCDC has activated the National Lassa Fever Incident Management System, which brings together multiple stakeholders to coordinate response efforts across affected regions.
